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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Division  JUi  WK^C )^  \ 
Section   . .  t^.  t^  .1  _fLf 
Number     \/fc....'«J3 


"V^ 


k- 


AN 


AMERICAN  COMMENTARY 


ON    THE 


NEW   TESTAMENT. 


EDITED  BY 

ALVAH  HOVEY,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


V 


PHILADELPHIA . 
AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

1420  Chestnut  Street. 


COMMENTARY 


ON   THE 


Epistle  to  the  Philippians. 


BY 

J.  B.  GOUGH  PIDGE,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

1420  Chestnut  Street. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1890,  by  the 

AMERICAN    BAPTIST   PUBLICATION    SOCIETY, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS. 


It  was  a  decisive  moment  in  the  missionary  career  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  when,  sum- 
moned by  the  vision  of  a  man  of  Macedonia,  he  sailed  from  Troas,  and  crossing  the  ^Egean 
Sea,  set  foot  for  the  first  time  upon  the  soil  of  Europe.  Immediately  before  him  as  he 
landed  lay  the  important  city  of  Philippi,  which  in  eaNier  times  had  been  called  Crenides, 
or  fountains,  on  account  of  its  numerous  springs,  but  was  afterward  named  Philippi  in  honor 
of  the  great  Macedonian  conqueror  who  had  enlarged  and  fortified  it.  From  its  vicinity 
to  the  field  of  the  battle  which  ended  the  Roman  republic,  between  Octavius  and  Antony 
on  the  one  side,  and  Brutus  and  Cassius  on  the  other,  it  had  become  a  famous  historical 
landmark,  and  as  a  Roman  colony  with  the  so-called  jus  Italicum,  or  privilege  of  Roman 
citizenship,  it  outranked  all  the  other  cities  of  Macedonia.  But  its  highest  glory  was  con- 
ferred upon  it  when  Paul  entered  its  gates  bearing  the  message  of  salvation,  and  it  became 
the  first  city  of  Europe  to  listen  to  the  gospel  from  the  lips  of  an  apostle. 

Paul's  first  stay  in  Philippi  was  very  brief  owing  to  the  treatment  he  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  Roman  magistrates  (Acts  16  :  16-40),  but  he  left  behuid  a  most  important 
result  of  his  short  visit  in  a  little  band  of  converts  who  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  most 
remarkable  church.  On  at  least  two  subsequent  occasions  Paul  revisited  the  place 
(Acts  20  :  2,  6),  most  hkely  making  somewhat  longer  visits  than  on  the  first  occasion,  and 
possibly  he  made  still  another  visit  after  his  release  fiom  his  first  Roman  imprisonment. 
The  members  of  the  church  which  he  founded  there  must  have  consisted  chiefly  of 
heathen  converts,  since  there  appears  to  have  been  but  a  small  number  of  Jews  residing  in 
Philippi.  At  the  time  of  his  first  visit  we  find  mostly  women,  meeting  for  prayer  by  the 
river  side  (Acts  16  :  13),  the  fact  that  they  possessed  no  synagogue  showing  how  few  in 
numbers  and  how  poor  they  were.  Between  this  Philippian  Churcli  and  the  great  apostle 
the  most  friendly  and  cordial  relations  existed  from  first  to  last.  It  was  the  only  church 
under  his  charge  that  never  gave  him  occasion  for  rebuke  or  reproof.  Its  members  were 
never  seduced  from  their  steadfast  loyalty  to  him  and  to  his  teachings,  nor  did  they  ever 
fall  into  any  such  terrible  sins  as  appeared  elsewhere,  or  give  heed  to  doctrinal  errors,  as 
even  the  neighboring  church  of  Thessalonica  seems  to  have  done.  In  the  letter  before  us 
Paul  declares  that  he  had  never  had  occasion  for  anything  but  joy  and  gratitude  in  all  his 
remembrance  of  them.  From  the  first  day  they  had  maintained  with  him  and  with  each 
other  the  closest  kind  of  fellowship.  A  slight  ripple  had  indeed  been  excited  in  the 
otherwise  calm  current  of  their  spiritual  life  by  the  dissensions  of  two  women  of  influ- 
ence, but  beyond  this  nothing  had  occurred  to  give  the  apostle  the  least  anxiety  in  regard 
to  their  unity  and  harmony.  Of  course,  the  same  dangers  threatened  them,  that  threat- 
ened the  other  apostolic  churches, — dangers  from  persecuting  heathen,  from  false  Jewish 
teachers,  and  from  the  pernicious  example  of  worldly  Christians.  Against  all  these  threat- 
ening perils  the  apostle  urges  them  to  stand  fa.st  in  a  spirit  of  loving,  unselfish  harmony, 
and  of  careful  observance  both  of  his  teachings  and  life.     While  Paul  himself  declares 

3 


4       INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS. 

that  they  had  always  been  obedient,  we  find  no  hint  in  subsequent  literature  of  any  devia- 
tion from  this  high  standard  of  loyal  and  steadfast  obedience. 

The  Philippian  Church  revealed  its  lovely  and  unselfish  character  especially  in  its 
treatment  of  the  apostle's  personal  needs,  a  sort  of  consideration  he  seems  never  to  have 
received  at  the  hands  of  any  other  church.  While  he  was  still  in  Macedonia,  in  the  neigh- 
boring city  of  Thessalonica,  soon  after  his  first  visit  to  Philippi,  they  kindly  sent  sui)ii]its 
to  relieve  his  necessities  more  than  once.  At  a  later  period  they  were  for  a  long  time 
unable  to  do  anytliing  for  him, — though  their  hearts  were  always  ready, — until  the  visit  of 
Epaphroditus  to  Rome  furnished  them  with  the  long-coveted  opportunity.  Then  their  old 
spirit,  like  a  tree  in  spring  time,  blossomed  out  again  in  a  most  loving  and  lavish  contribu- 
tion to  his  needs,  that  awakened  all  the  deepest  feelings  of  the  apostle's  tender  heart,  and 
gave  occasion  for  this  letter  in  return.  It  was  apparently  entrusted  to  the  same  messen- 
ger, who  had  brouglit  their  gifts,  and  who  had  deepened  and  intensified  the  apostle's  sense 
of  gratitude  by  carrying  out  his  mission  in  such  a  self-sacrificing  spirit  as  to  bring  upon 
himself  a  dangerous  and  almost  fatal  sickness,  which  led  the  apostle  to  send  him  back  to 
PhiHppi  sooner  than  he  would  otherwise  have  done. 

As  the  Epistle  was  not  called  forth,  like  most  of  the  others  that  Paul  wrote,  bj'  any 
doctrinal  or  practical  danger  threatening  the  church,  it  is  written  in  an  entirely  different 
tone  and  style  from  any  of  his  other  writings.  It  is  not  divided,  as  the  rest  are,  into  two 
portions,  one  pre-eminently  doctrinal,  the  other  pre-eminently  practical  and  hortatory ; 
but  the  thought  flows  on  from  beginning  to  end  in  a  most  unstudied  and  natural  way,  like 
an  ordinary  friendly  letter.  There  is,  of  course,  a  certain  order  of  thought,  but  there  are 
no  rigid  and  clearly  marked  divisions  between  the  different  portions  In  a  free  and  natural 
way  the  apostle  touches  upon  four  special  topics  ;  first,  his  own  condition  and  prospects  ; 
second,  the  necessity  for  unity  and  steadfastness  on  the  part  of  the  church  ;  third,  the 
threatening  dangers  from  Judaizing  teachers  ;  and  fourth,  the  special  subject  of  the  con- 
tribution which  he  has  received  from  the  church.  This  is  the  outline  in  general  of  the 
order  of  thought ;  the  more  minute  analj'sis  is  as  follows  : 

After  the  usual  address  and  salutation  (1  :  1,  2),  the  apostle  gratefully  recognizes  the 
favorable  condition  of  the  church  at  Philippi,  and  prays  that  it  may  develop  more  and  more 
richly  in  all  the  essentials  of  Christian  life.  (1  :  3-11.)  He  briefly  describes  his  condi- 
tion and  labors  at  Rome,  reveaHng  at  the  same  time  his  exalted  state  of  mind  amid  the  un- 
certainties and  dangers  of  his  position  (1  :  12-26),  and  exhorts  his  brethren  to  unity, 
humility,  and  steadfastness  in  view  of  the  inspiring  example  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Lord. 
(I  :  27-2  :  11.)  This  line  of  exhortation  leads  to  the  noble  doctrinal  passage  describ- 
ing Chi-ist's  condescension,  humiliation,  and  subsequent  exaltation  (2  :  5-11),  when 
the  practical  tone  is  again  resumed,  and  the  Philippians  are  urged  to  work  out  their 
salvation  in  such  a  spirit  as  to  make  them  bright  examples  in  the  midst  of  a  wicked  world 
(2  :  12-18) ;  after  which  the  apostle  speaks  very  feelingly  of  the  spirit  and  labors  of  his 
messengers  and  assistants,  Timothy  (2  :  19-24)  and  Epaphroditus.  (2  :  25-30.)  Appar- 
ently about  to  close  his  Epistle,  Paul  is  led  by  some  unknown  occa.sion  to  the  thought  of 
liis  Jewish  opponents,  and  he  launches  out  into  an  indignant  contrast  between  their  exam- 
ple and  his  own,  earnestly  admonishes  the  Philippians  to  imitate  him  rather  than 
them  (3  :  1-16),  and  draws  a  vivid  picture  of  the  contrasted  character  and  destiny  of  true 
and  false  believers.  (3  :  17-4  :  1.)  Admonitions,  mixed  with  commendations,  addressed 
to  individuals  (4  :  2,  3),  general  exhortations  to  joyfulness  and  spiritual  mindedness 
(4  :  4-9),  followed  by  a  most  beautiful  and  delicate  recognition  of  the  kindness  of  the 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS. 


church  in  their  gifts  (4  :  10-20),  with  salutations  and  a  benediction  (4  :  21-23),  conclude 
the  Epistle. 

We  assign  the  Epistle  to  the  time  of  Paul's  imprisonment  in  Rome  in  accordance 
with  universal  tradition,  the  indications  of  the  letter  itself,  and  the  views  of  nearly  all 
commentators.  It  may  be  well,  however,  to  mention  the  highly  improbable  opinion  that 
it  was  written  at  Cesarea  during  the  period  of  Paul's  imprisoment  there.  In  favor  of 
this  view  are  cited  the  facts,  that  Paul  was  in  prison  at  tiie  time,  in  a  place  called  the 
Prretorium  (Acts  23  :  35,  same  word),  and  among  Roman  soldiers  ;  but  all  of  these  facts 
agree  equally  well  with  the  theorj'  of  its  composition  at  Rome,  while  there  arc  many 
features  of  his  condition  and  the  state  of  affairs  around  him  revealed  in  this  Epistle, 
which  are  not  so  easily  reconciled  with  the  Cesarean,  as  with  the  Roman  imprisonment ; 
for  instance,  the  widespread  influence  of  his  example,  of  wliich  there  is  no  hint  in  Lukes 
account  of  the  staj'  at  Cesarea,  bub  wliich  fully  accords  with  the  description  ot  his  resi- 
dence at  Rome  (Acts  28  :  see  especially  ver.  30,  31)  ;  the  large  number  of  brethren  who 
were  aff^ected  in  various  ways  toward  him,  implying  a  large  city  ;  his  uncertainty  as  to  the 
event  of  his  trial,  which  he  would  much  more  probably  have  felt  at  Rome,  where  his  trial 
Avas  impending,  than  at  Cesarea,  where  it  was  still  remote  ;  and  finally  and  most  decisively 
his  allusion  to  "  Caesar's  household."  (4  :  22.)  AVe  therefore  assume  the  place  of  composi- 
tion to  be  Rome,  and  the  time  to  be  toward  the  close  of  Paul's  first  imprisonment,  A.  D. 
63  or  64,  which  we  infer  from  the  fact  that  the  apostle  has  evidently  been  a  long  time  in 
prison,  and  looks  forward  to  a  speedy  decision  of  his  case.  This  was  therefore  most 
probably  the  last  epistle  which  was  written  by  Paul  to  any  church.  And  surely  the 
great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles  could  have  closed  this  marvelous  series  of  inspired  letters  to 
the  churches  he  had  founded,  with  nothing  more  beautiful  and  appropriate  than  this  loving 
and  tender  Epistle,  which  expresses  so  ardently  his  perfect  joy  and  gratitude  over  the  re- 
markable fellowship  of  this  beloved  church,  exhibits  so  gloriously  his  calm  and  heroic 
spirit  of  resignation  and  triumph  in  view  of  a  possible  martyrdom,  and  accepts  so  deli- 
cately and  graciously  the  material  gifts  of  his  brethren,  even  as  a  noble  king  might  receive 
the  offerings  of  devoted  subjects.  This  is  indeed  an  Epistle  of  the  heart,  and  so  a  most 
fitting  close  to  the  series  of  Epistles  which  the  great-hearted  Paul  wrote  to  the  churches. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAUL  and  Tiruotheus,  the  servants  of  Jesus  Christ, 
to    all    the    saints   in   Christ  Jesus  which   are   at 
Philippi,  with  the  bishops  and  deacons: 


1      Paul  and  Timothy,  i  servants  of  Christ  Jesus,  to 
all  the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  who  are  at  i'hilippi,  with 


1  Or.  bondtervantt. 


Ch.  1  :  1,  2.  Addrkss  and  Salutation. 

1.  Paul  and  Timotheiis.  Paul  begins 
his  Epistle  with  a  brief  but  comprehensive 
greeting.  In  harmony  with  the  friendly  tone 
of  the   entire    letter,    he   makes   no   allusion 


"Life  and  Work  of  St.  Paul,"  vol.  1,  pp.  355, 
356,  for  a  discussion  of  the  apostle's  two 
names. 

All    the   saints.    The   word   'all,'    which 
occurs  again  and  again  (ver.  2, 7, 8.  ssj  2;  n;  4:2i). 


to  his  apostolic  dignity,  but  affectionately  j  springs  from  the  deep  affection  of  the  apostle 
associating  his  fellow-laborer  Timothy  with  for  this  particular  church,  whose  beautiful 
himself,  sends  a  greeting  in  their  united  name  spirit  of  unity  made  it  jwssible  to  include  o^i 
to  the  church.  The  mention  of  Timothy  may  its  members  without  exception  in  his  greeting, 
have  been  caused  by  the  apostle's  desire  to  I  The  word  'saints'  does  not  imply  perfection 
secure  a  favorable  reception  for  him  on  the  j  of  character,  for  it  is  applied  to  all  Christians 
visit  he  was  purposing  soon  to  make,  by  re-  alike.  It  is  a  term  borrowed  from  the  Old 
vealing  his  own  high  estimate  of  that  disci-  Dispensation,  and  signifies  primarily  conse- 
ple's  character.  Besides,  Timothy  was  al-  [  cration  or  separation  from  the  world.  A  man 
ready  well   known  to  the   Philippians  from  i  is  therefore  a  'saint'  in  the  New  Testament 


previous  visits,  and  so  a  greeting  might  appro- 
priately be  sent  from  him  as  well  as  the  apos- 
tle. Whether  he  was  Paul's  amanuensis  in 
the  writing  of  the  letter  or  not,  we  have  no 
means  of  deciding. 

The  servants  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  his 
apostolic  claims  had  not  been  assailed  in  Phil- 
ippi,  Paul  had  no  occasion  to  assert  them,  and 
therefore  adopts  the  lowly  title  of  servant,'  to 
which  his  natural  modesty  inclines  him.  He 
belongs  to  Christ  as  his  master,  a  fact  of  which 


sense  of  the  word  as  soon  as  he  is  converted 
and  separated  from  the  world.  At  the  same 
time  the  word  suggests  holiness,  or  perfection 
of  character,  as  the  ultimate  goal  toward 
which  those  who  are  thus  separated  from 
sinners  are  continually  aiming.  In  Christ 
Jesus."  The  people  of  God  are  separated 
from  the  world  and  devoted  to  his  service  only 
in  Christ;  that  is,  by  virtue  of  the  regener- 
ating and  purifying  influences  that  have 
flowed  from  their  spiritual  union  with  him. 


he  never  loses  sight,  not  even  in  those  epistles  1  Compare  1  Cor.  1:2.    At  Philippi.   See  "In- 
where  he  asserts  and  vindicates  his  apostolic    troduction,"  pp.  8,  4.    It  is  generally  assumed 
Paul  omits  his  official  designation  '  that  Philippi  was  the  first  place  in  Europe  in 


dignity. 

only  in  this  Epistle,  the  two  to  the  Thessalo- 
iiians,  and  that  to  Philemon.  As  to  his  per- 
sonal name,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  he  invariably 


which   the   gospel   was  preached,  because   it 
was  the  first  place  in  Europe  that  Paul  vis- 
ited ;  but  the  Epistle  to  the  Komans,  with  its 
uses  his  Greek  name  Paul,  and  not  his  He-  I  indications  of  a  long-established  church  there, 
brew  name  Saul,  in  all  his  epistles.     We  sup-  }  would  imply  that  long  before  this  the  gospel 
pose  this  was  due  to  the  fact  that  these  letters    had   found   a  foothold  in  Rome.     With  the 


were  all  written  to  churches  composed  chiefly 
of  Gentiles.  Had  he  written  to  a  purely  Jew- 
ish church,  he  would  most  likely  have  em- 
ployed the  Hebrew  name  Saul.  See  Hackett's 
"Commentary  on  Acts,"  13  :  9,  and  Farrar's 


bishops  and  deacons.  In  no  other  ei)istle 
does  Paul  mention  the  church  officers  in  his 
salutation,  and  it  is  impossible  to  say  with 
certainty  why  he  does  so  here,  but  it  may 
have  been  the  fact  of  their  having  been  espe- 


» 'AoCAo?  means  a  bond  servant,  or  slave  of  the  house-  1  «  Christ  Jesus  Is  a  better  supported  reading  than  .Tesua 
hold,  and  thus  differs  from  ^laew;.  ^ii<rflaim,  a  hired  Christ.  This  inverted  form  of  the  name  is  found  only 
tervani,  and  from  iv&pairoiov,  a  captive  slave,  \  in  the  writings  of  Paul. 


8 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


cially  active  in  procuring  the  gifts  which  had 
been  forwarded  to  him.  It  is  not  at  all  un- 
likely that  a  letter  was  sent  with  those  gifts  in 
the  name  of  the  brethren,  bishops,  and  dea- 
cons, just  as  the  Epistle  sent  to  the  churches 
from  the  council  at  Jerusalem  was  written  in 
the   name  of    "the    apostles    and    the  elder 

brethren."     (Acts  15  :  23.  Rev.  Ver) 

Bishops  and  presbyters,  or  elders,  are  not 
two  different  orders  of  church  officers,  but  are 
identical,  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing  Acts 
20: 17,  28  (overseers,  in  Greek,  bishops),  Titus 
1  :  5,  7.  The  same  thing  appears  also  from 
1  Tim.  3  :  1-13,  where  the  qualifications  of  a 
bishop  are  immediately  followed  by  those  of 
a  deacon,  with  no  suggestion  of  any  interme- 
diate order,  and  from  the  present  passage, 
where  also  Paul  mentions  only  bishops  and 
deacons.  Now  if  there  had  been  a  third  order 
in  the  church,  why  should  Paul  have  omitted 
any  reference  to  it  in  First  Timothy,  where  he 
was  enumerating  tiie  qualifications  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  church,  and  in  this  Epistle,  where 
he  refers  to  the  other  orders  by  their  respective 
titles?  The  absence  of  any  allusion  to  pres- 
byters or  elders,  where,  if  there  had  been 
such  a  distinct  order,  their  name  would  nat- 
urally appear,  leads  irresistibly  to  the  conclu- 
sion tiiat  there  was  no  such  separate  order, 
and  this  conclusion  is  confirmed  b3'  the  pas- 
sages above  referred  to  in  Acts  and  Titus, 
where  bishop  and  elder  are  used  intercliange- 
ably  for  the  same  office.  Even  in  the  First 
Ejjistle  of  Clement  to  the  Corinthians,  written 
about  100  a.  d.,  only  two  orders  are  recog- 
nized (ch.  42:4  compared  with  44:5),  and 
the  same  is  true  of  Polycarp's  "Epistles  to 
the  Phiiippians,"  written  about  twenty  years 
later.  (Ch.  5,  6.)  Ellicott,  while  admitting 
the  identity  of  the  two  names,  bishop  and 
presbyter,  or  elder,  in  the  New  Testament, 
insists  that  there  are  traces  of  the  subsequent 
official  distinction  between  them.  See  his 
Notes  on  1  Tim.  3  :  1.  We  fail  to  find  any 
such  traces  even  as  late  as  Clement  and  Poly- 
carp.  Harnach,  in  his  note  on  Clen.ient  42:  4, 
says:  "It  is  clearer  than  day  that  tliere  were 
only  two  orders  in  the  clergy  at  that  time, 
bishops  (equivalent  to  presbyters)  and  dea- 
cons." 

With  regard  to  the  two  names  for  the  same 
office,  bishop  and  elder,  the  first,  literally 
overseer,  inspector,  was  the  Greek  name,  and 


designated  the  office  from  the  standpoint  of 
its  duties;  the  second  was  the  Jewish  name, 
borrowed  from  the  synagogue,  and  described 
tlie  office  from  the  standpoint  of  its  age  and 
dignity.  Paul  is  the  only  one  of  the  New 
Testament  writers  who  uses  the  title  of  bisliop, 
the  others  always  using  the  word  eider,  thougii 
Peter  calls  Christ  "the  Shepherd  and  Bish- 
op" of  souls.  (1  Peter  2: 25.)  The  word  dcacon, 
as  the  name  of  an  officer  in  the  church,  occurs 
only  here  and  in  1  Tim.  3  :  8-13.  The  duties 
of  deacons  are  nowhere  described,  although 
the  requisite  qualifications  for  the  office  are 
stated  in  the  passage  in  1  Tim.  3  :  8-13.  While 
we  have  no  account  in  the  New  Testament  of 
the  origin  of  the  office  of  bishop,  we  have 
in  Acts  6  :  1-6  tlie  probable  origin  of  the 
deaconsliip,  though  the  name  deacon  is  not 
used.  The  duties  of  a  deacon,  as  suggested 
by  that  narrative,  are  the  oversight  and  care 
I  of  the  external  affairs  of  the  church.  Tiieir 
I  name,  from  a  verb  meaning  to  serve,  ini- 
j  plies  that  they  are  to  be  the  pastor's  helpers 
!  or  assistants. 

I  Clement,  in  his  first  epistle,  gives  an  account 
of  the  method  of  appointing  bishops  and  dea- 
cons, which  is  of  great  value  as  indicating  the 
views  of  the  age  immediately  succeeding  the 
apostolic  period.  According  to  his  .statement, 
the  apostles  appointed  their  first  converts  as 
bishops  and  deacons,  and  these,  in  turn,  ap- 
pointed others,  with  the  consent  of  the  whole 
church.  (Ch.42,  44.)  A  change  is  here  revealed 
from  those  early  days,  when  the  people  them- 
selves apparently  chose  their  own  officers 
(see  Acts  6  :  5),  since  in  Clement's  time  the 
officers  choose  and  the  people  merely  con- 
firm, yet  it  shows  that  later  hierarchical 
notions  had  not  yet  appeared.  The  officers 
are  still  in  the  church,  for  the  church,  and 
by  the  church. 

The  mention  of  the  church  officers  after  the 
body  of  the  church,  shows  how  far  Paul's  idea 
of  church  offices  differed  from  those  views 
about  the  priesthood  which  sprung  up  in  later 
times,  and  have  held  sway  ever  since  over  so 
large  a  portion  of  Christendom.  With  him 
the  officers  were  evidently'  only  a  part  of  the 
church,  not  an  order  separate  from  and  above 
the  laitj'.  Generally  in  his  writings,  he  makes 
no  distinction  between  tlie  church  officers  and 
the  rest  of  the  membership;  and  even  here, 
where  some  special,  though  to  us  unknown, 


Ch.  I.J 


PHILIFPIANS. 


2  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father  I    2  the  '  bishops  ami  deacons  :     firace  to  you  and  peace 
aud//i(//i  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Iroru  tiod  uur  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Thrist. 

3  1  thanlv  luy  God  upon  every  remeuibrance  of  you.    |    3      1  thank  my  Gud  upon  all  my  reiuemhrauce  of  you, 

1  Or.  overeeert. 


reason  has  led  him  to  mention  them  specific- 
ally  by  their  titles,  he  nevertheless  places  them 
after  the  body  of  the  church  ;  not,  perhaps, 
with  an}'  special  purpose,  but  simply  because 
neither  in  his  mind  nor  in  that  of  his  readers 
had  church  offices  become  associated  with  any 
notions  of  superiority. 

2.  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace.  The 
greeting  is  substantially  the  saine  as  in  all  tlie 
other  ejjistles,  except  Colossians  and  First  and 
Second  Tlu'?saloiiians.  It  is  the  distinctively 
Ciiristian  form  of  salutation,  blending  together 
and  at  the  same  time  spiritualizing  both  the 
Greek  and  Hebrew  modes.  The  Greek  said 
"•greeting"  (xaipeiv),  a  form  which  is  found 
also  in  Acts  15  :  23;  23  :  26,  and  in  James  1  :  1. 
Tiie  Christians  seem  generally  to  have  shrunk 
from  this  form  as  having  a  savor  of  heathen- 
ism, and  they  substituted  for  it  the  word 
'grace'  (xapis),  which,  in  the  Greek,  resembles 
the  ordinary  word  in  sound,  while  it  carries 
the  thought  infinitely  higher,  to  that  disposition 
of  God  and  Christ  from  which  all  our  bless- 
ings flow.  To  this  word  'grace'  they  added 
the  word  '  peace,'  which  the  Hebrews  were 
accustomed  to  use  whenever  they  met  each 
otiier,  saying,  "  Peace  to  thee,"  meaning  pros- 
perity, every  kind  of  good,  but  which  had 
become  sanctified  on  the  lips  of  Christ  to  a 
still  higher  significance,  when  he  said:  "My 
peace  I  give  unto  you  :  not  as  the  world  giveth 
(by  compliment,  in  mere  words),  give  I  unto 
you."'  (JohaU:'27.)  Hcncc,  thcsc  two  cxprcs- 
sions  combined  denote  all  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral blessings  (peace)  from  grace,  or  the 
undeserved  favor  of  God  as  their  source. 
"Thus  are  the  forms  of  common  life  hal- 
lowed by  Christian  love,  and  a  passing  cour- 
tesy is  transformed  into  a  prayer  for  heavenly 
blessings."  As  we  see  from  the  similar  salu- 
tations of  Peter  and  Jude,  where  the  sentence 
is  completed,  the  salutation  of  Paul  must  be 
roffarded  as  a  prayer,  and  the  verb  to  be  sup- 
l)lied  is  optative,  not  imperative.  See  Winer, 
p.  585,  and  1  Peter  1  :  2,  "be  multiplied." 
The  imperative  mood  would  imply  an  au- 
thority to  bestow  blessings,  which,  while  it  is 


claimed  by  the  Romish  Cliurch  and  others  as 
the  peculiar  prerogative  of  the  clergy,  has  no 
warrant  in  the  New  Testament.  Tiie  bene- 
dictions of  the  apostles  are  simply  prayers, 
and  notiiing  more;  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  one  Christian  has  any  more  right 
to  use  tiieni  than  another.  From  God  our 
Father  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
What  a  strong,  though  purely  incidental, 
proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  is  the  combi- 
nation of  his  name  with  that  of  God  the 
Father  in  such  forms  of  blessing!  W^liat 
pious  Jew,  with  his  lofty  conception  of  the 
One  God,  could  have  combined  any  inferior 
name  with  that  sacred  name  in  prayer?  The 
attempt  to  weaken  the  force  of  this  form  of 
words  by  interpreting  it  to  mean  "from  our 
Father  and  (tlie  Father  of)  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  is  so  evidently  a  makeshift,  as  to  en- 
hance the  force  of  the  argument  from  the 
usual  conjunction  of  the  two  names. 

3-11.  Thanksgiving  for  their  Fellow- 
ship, AND  Prayer  for  their  Kicher 
Development  in  Knowledge  and  Dis- 
cernment.—  The  apostle  now  proceeds  to 
express  his  great  joy  over  the  favorable  con- 
dition of  the  Philippian  Church  (3,  4),  which 
has  continued  from  his  first  acquaintance  with 
them  until  the  present  moment  (5-8) ;  and  he 
prays  that  this  spiritual  prosperity  may  in- 
crease yet  more  and  more,  until,  richly  devel- 
oped in  love,  knowledge,  and  spiritual  sensi- 
bility (9),  they  shall  be  prepared,  at  the  great 
day  of  judgment,  to  glorify  God  by  the  rich 
fruitage  of  righteousness  which  their  lives 
shall  then  exhibit  (10,  11). 

3.  I  thank  my  God.  For  similar  expres- 
sions, compare  Rom.  1  :  8;  1  Cor.  1:4;  Eph. 
1  :  1(5;  Col.  1  :  3;  1  Thess.  1  :  2;  2  Thess.l  :3; 
Philem.  4.  He  is  grateful  to  God  for  all  the 
good  he  sees  in  the  church,  the  credit  for 
which  does  not  belong  to  men,  but  to  him  who 
worketh  in  us  "both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure."  (2:  is.)  What  a  sense  of  (lie 
nearness  of  the  divine  presence  in  the  appro- 
priating words  'my  God'!  How  much  he  felt 
bound  to  give  thanks  to  God  in  the  case  of  this 


10 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


4  Always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for  you  all  making 
request  with  joy, 

5  For  your  fellowship  in  the  gospel  from  the  first  day 
until  now; 


4  always  in  every  supplication  of  mine  on  behalf  of 

5  you  all  making  my  supplication  with  joy,  for  your 
lellowsbip  iu  furtherance  of  the   gospel   from  the 


particular  church  appears  from  the  words  that 
follow.     Upoii^  every  remembrance  of  you 

— a  rendering  forbidden  by  the  article  ("VViner, 
p.  Ill) — rather,  asin  the  Revised  Version,  C//)on 
all  my  remembrance  of  you.  Paul  declares 
that  his  whole  remembrance  of  the  Philippian 
Church  fills  him  with  gratitude.  As  he  glances 
back  to  the  beginning  of  his  acquaintance  with 
tliem,  and  reviews  his  entire  remembrance  of 
them  up  to  the  present  hour,  he  finds  occasion 
for  nothing  but  thankfulness.  See  2  Cor.  8  : 
.1,  seq. 

4.  Always  in  every  prayer  .  .  .  making 
request  with  joy.  He  here  states  the  occasion 
when  this  gratitude  finds  expression—'  in  every 
prayer '  for  thein.  He  never  prays  for  them 
without  giving  thanks.  His  whole  remem- 
brance causes  gratitude,  and  this  finds  expres- 
sion in  every  prayer.  The  next  words  describe 
a  feature  of  his  prayers  for  the  Philippian 
Church,  that  he  mentions  in  no  other  epistle. 
His  prayer  for  them  was  the  outflowing  of  an 
entirely  joyful  heart.  How  often  he  praj'ed 
for  his  brethren  with  grief  and  tears,  but  not 
so  for  this  beautiful  church  !  For  them  he 
made  the  request  'with  joy,'  for  there  was 
nothing  in  their  condition  to  hinder  emotions 
of  gratitude  and  praise.  In  these  words  he 
strikes  the  keynote  of  the  Epistle.  As  Bengel 
well  says,  "The  whole  Epistle  is  summed  up 
in  the  words:  I  rejoice,  do  ye  rejoice."  See 
ver.  18,  25 ;  2  :  2,  19,  28 ;  3  :  1 ;  4  :  1,  4.  The 
word  for  'joy'  occurs  in  all  thirteen  times  in 
the  course  of  this  letter. 

5.  For  your  fellowship.  This  was  the 
special  element  in  his  remembrance  which 
caused  his  unalloyed  gratitude.  It  is  very 
difficult  to  find  an  exact  equivalent  in  English 
for  the  word  translated  'fellowship'  {xoiviovia), 
tiiough  that  word  answers  better  than  any 
other.  It  means  a  sharing  in  anj'thing  or  par- 
ticipating with  any  one.  Out  of  this  primary 
meaning  grows  the  occasional  signification  of 
gift  or  contribution.   Me3'er  and  Cremer  deny 


that  it  ever  has  such  a  meaning;  but  see  Rom. 
15  :  26  ;  2  Cor.  9  :  13,  where  any  other  interpre- 
tation is  artificial.  Some  have  taken  the 
meaning  here  to  be  "gift,"  but  it  is  impossible 
that  Paul  should  have  expressed  such  exces- 
sive gratitude  merely  for  a  material  contribu- 
tion to  his  support.  Those  who  insist  that  he 
must  refer  to  the  gifts  of  the  church,  because 
otherwise  he  would  have  made  no  acknowl- 
edgment of  their  kindness  at  the  opening  of 
his  letter,  and  such  omission  wouldbe  a  breach 
of  courtesy,  apply  to  the  apostle  a  merely 
conventional  rule,  the  authority  of  which  he 
nowhere  recognizes.  To  him  the  close  of  the 
letter  seemed  the  proper  place  for  such  ac- 
knowledgments, and  there  he  has  expressed 
most  fully  and  beautii'ully  his  appreciation  of 
the  aid  which  the  Philippian  Churcii  setit  him. 
On  the  other  hand,  Paul  regarded  the  opening 
of  his  Epistle  as  a  place  for  higher  considera- 
tions than  mere  personal  matters,  and  so  here 
he  expresses  his  gratitude  for  their  '  fellowship 
in  the  gospel,'  that  is,  their  participation  in  the 
work  of  spreading  it,  their  unity  of  faith  and 
love  in  carrying  it  forward.  The  Revised 
Version  translates  the  words  more  accurately 
than  the  Common  Version,  felloivship  in 
furtherance  of  the  gospel,  for  it  was  not  parti- 
cipation in  gospel  privileges,  but  fellowship  in 
gospel  work  of  which  Paul  was  thinking.  He 
was  thankful  that  they  were  so  united  in 
gospel  service.  They  had  always  participated 
in  efforts  to  extend  the  gospel,  and  it  was  this 
beautiful  spirit  of  unity  in  which  all  distinc- 
tions were  melted,  this  common  interest  for 
the  success  of  the  gospel,  which  won  the 
apostle's  admiration  and  inspired  him  with 
such  constant  thankfulness  to  God.  "The 
communion  of  saints  was  with  them  a  point  of 
practice,  as  well  as  an  article  of  belief"  See 
ver.  27.  From  the  first  day  until  noAV. 
Even  at  the  very  first  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  Philippi  had  been  followed  hy 
marked  results  (acisigms,  scq.),  but  Paul,  by  the 


1  We  have  here,  and  in  ver.  .'i,  the  same  Oreek  preposi- 
tion, although  in  one  case  it  is  rendered  "upon," and  in 
the  other  "  for."  It  does  not,  however,  have  a  different 
significance  in  the  two  cases,  as  the  translation  would 


suggest,  but  in  both  designates  the  basis  of  the  action. 
His  thanksgiving  is  based  in  general  upon  his  remem- 
brance of  them,  and  in  particular  upon  one  special 
feature  of  that  remembrance— their  fellowship. 


Ch.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


11 


6  Being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  wliich 
hath  begun  a  good  work  iu  you  will  perlonu  it  until 
the  day  uf  Jesus  Christ : 

7  Lven  as  it  is  meet  for  me  to  tl)ink  this  of  you  all, 
because  1  ha>e  you  iu  uiy  heart;  iuasuiuch  as  botli  in 


6  first  day  until  now  :  being  confident  of  this  very 
thing,  that  lie  who  began  a  good  work  in   you  will 

7  jierlect  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ :  even  as  it  is 
right  for  me  to  be  thus  minded  on  behalf  of  you  all, 
because  '  1  have  you  in  my  heart,  inasujuch  as,  both 


1  Or,  j/6  have  me  in  your  heart. 


words   '  until  now,'   suggests    that  a  similar 
spirit  had  characterized  the  church  during  its 
whole  history. 
6.  Being  confident  of  this  very  thing. 

Paul  now  glances  into  the  future,  and  ex- 
presses his  hopefulness  about  that.  His  remem- 
brance was  all  joy,  his  anticipation  all  hope. 
That  he  (that  is,  God),  which  hath  begun 
(Kevised  Version,  began)a  good  work  (thefel- 
lowsiiip  spoken  of),wil!  perform  it — more  ac- 
curately, as  ill  the  Revised  Version,  will,  per- 
fect or  complete  it.  The  verb  in  the  original 
signifies  to  bring  to  an  end,  to  make  complete. 
Until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  "  da3' 
of  Jesus  Christ,"  or  "day  of  the  Lord,"  is 
a  New  Testament  phrase  for  tlie  day  of  judg- 
ment. Compare  1  Cor.  5  :  5;  2  Cor.  1  :  14;  1 
Thess.  5  :  2;  2  Peter  3  :  10.  The  good  work 
begun  is  not  finished  at  once,  but  gradually, 
and  reaches  its  completion  only  in  eternity. 
Some  have  inferred  from  this  reference  to  the 
day  of  judgment  that  Paul  supposed  it  near 
at  hand.  Instead  of  saying  that  God  would 
carry  forward  his  good  work  in  the  hearts  of 
the  Philinpians  until  the  day  of  death,  which 
would  appear  to  be  the  natural  terminus— the 
hour  we  alwaj's  have  in  mind — he  says  'until 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ';  and  some  able  com- 
mentators have  discovered  in  this  and  kindred 
allusions  to  that  day  an  expectation  of  its  im- 
mediate coming.  But  such  a  conclusion  is 
unwarranted.  In  PauVs  thought  the  day  of 
judgment  was  paramount;  we  dwell  much  on 
the  hour  of  death;  he  never  does.  His 
thoughts  overleap  all  intervening  events  and 
spring  forward  to  that  longed  for  day  of  the 
Lord's  appearing.  Even  when  close  upon  the 
hour  of  his  martyrdom  he  still  continues  to 
look  forward  far  beyond  the  immediate  pros- 
pect    "While  he  gladly  welcomes  the  release 


from  earthly  labors  and  hardships,  he  looks 
beyond  the  immediate  future  to  "that  day," 
when  the  crown  "laid  up'"  shall  be  given  to 
him.  See  2  Tim.  4:6,  seq.  For  further  remarks 
on  this  subject,  see  4  :  5.  Calvin  has  some 
beautiful  and  suggestive  thoughts  upon  this 
distant  outlook  of  the  apostle.  "Although 
tiiose  who  have  been  freed  from  the  mortal 
body  do  no  longer  contend  with  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  but  are,  so  to  express  it,  beyond  the 
reach  of  a  single  dart,  yet  there  will  be  no 
absurdity  in  speaking  of  them  as  in  the  way 
of  advancement,  inasmuch  as  they  have  not 
yet  reached  the  point  at  which  thej'  aspire — 
they  do  not  yet  enjoy  the  felicity  and  glory 
which  they  have  hoped  for;  and,  in  fine,  the 
day  has  not  yet  shone,  which  is  to  discover  the 
treasures  which  lie  hid  in  hope.  And  in  truth, 
when  hope  is  treated  of,  our  eyes  must  always 
be  directed  forward  to  the  blessed  resurrec- 
tion, as  the  grand  object  in  view." 

7.  Even  as  it  is  meet  (or,  righf^)  for  me 
to  think  this  of  you  ^  all.  He  is  justified  in 
his  confidence  about  their  future  from  the 
signs  of  the  Christian  life  which  the  Philip- 
pians  have  already  exhibited.  He  has  it  in- 
delibly inscribed  upon  his  heart  how  in  the 
past  they  have  co-operated  with  him  in  all  his 
efforts,  and  sympathized  with  him  in  all  his 
sufferings  for  the  gospel ;  and  as  his  praj'er 
(ver.  4)  embraced  them  all,  so  also  does  his 
hope — he  thinks  this  of  them  all.  Because 
I  have  you  in  my  heart.^  They  are  such 
Christians  that  he  has  taken  them  into  his  very 
heart— they  have  proved  worthy  of  his  deepest 
love;  and  hence  he  looks  hopefully  toward 
their  future.  That  he  had  not  taken  them  into 
his  heart  without  reason,  but  in  consequence 
of  their  Christian  character,  appears  from  the 
following  words:  Inasmuch  as  both^  in  my 


1  The  more  classical  Greek  construction  would  be 
either  the  accusative  fititoioi'  iy.*,  or  the  nominative 

StVator    «fM. 

s  The  preposition  vtrip,  implies  a  favorable  opinion; 
irtpi  would  be  used  to  express  simply  the  idea  "  about," 
without  any  added  suggestion. 

»  The  alternative  readering  upon  the  margin  of  both 


the  Authorized  and  Revise*!  Versions  cannot  be  justi- 
fied in  view  of  the  context,  the  singular  number  '  heart,' 
and  the  order  of  the  wortis.  Of  course,  grammatically 
it  is  correct.  N 

*  The  Greek  particles  re,  Ai,  show^  that  we  have  here 
two  related  notions  of  whicH  the  second  is  the  more 
imiwrtant.    The  first  notion  is  contained  iu  the  words, 


12 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Cii.  1. 


my  bonds,  and  in  the  defence  and  confirmation  of  the 
gospel,  ye  all  :ue  partakers  of  my  grace. 

8  I'or  God  is  my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you 
all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Curist. 


in  my  bonds  and  in  the  defence  and  confirmation  of 

the  gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers  with  lue  of  grace. 

8  For  God  is  my  witness,  how  1  long  after  you  all  in 


bonds,  and  in  the  defence  and  confirma- 
tion of  the  gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers 
of  my    grace.      Some   connect   these   words 
differently  both  with  each  other  and  with  the 
])receding  words;    thus,   Because  I  have  you 
in  my  heart,  both  in  my  bonds,  and  in  the  de- 
fence and  confirmation   of  the  gospel,  ye  all 
being   partakers  with  me  of  grace.     Accord- 
ing  to   this   arrangement  we   have   here   ex- 
pressed the   greatness   of  the  apostle's   love. 
He  thinks  of  them  even  amid  the  trials  of  his 
imprisonment,  and  his  arduous  labors  in  behalf 
of  the  gospel.     None  of  these  things  could  di- 
vert his  thouglits  from  them,  or  weaken  the 
strength  of  his  attachment  to  them.     This  view 
of  the  passage  has  the  sanction  of  many  emi- 
nent expositors.  Dr.  Hackett  among  the  num- 
ber.    But  the  other  arrangement  of  the  words, 
which  is  that  of  both  the  Common  and  the 
Kevised  Versions,  is  to  be  preferred.     Accord- 
ing to  that,  Paul  expresses  here  the  reason  of 
his  great  love  for  the   Philippians.     He  has 
them  in  his  heart,  because  they  have  always 
been  in  such  close  and  tender  sympathy  with 
him  in  all  hislaborsand  sufferings.     They  had 
endeavored  to  alleviate  his  sufferings  while  a 
]irisoner,   and   to  sustain  and   encourage   his 
efforts  in  defending  and  advancing  the  cause 
of  Christ.     How,    then,    could   such   a  great- 
liearted   man  as  Paul  help  taking  them  into 
his   very  heart   after  such    manifestations   of 
love,  or  entertain  other  than  the  most  hopeful 
views   of  their  future  after   such   convincing 
evidences  of  Christian  fellowship?    The 'de- 
fence and  confirmation'  describes  the  twofold 
metliod  of  prosecuting  the  work  of  the  gospel, 
by   answering  objections  and  removing    ob- 
stacles and  prejudices— the  defence:    and  by 
establishing  and  confirming  the  faith  of  be- 
lievers, so  that  they  may  become  "grounded 
and  settled  " — the  confirmation.     "We  have  an 
example  of  the  defence  of  the  gospel  in  Acts 
28  :  17-24,    and   a   notable   illustration    of   its 
confirmation   in  Paul's  letters  to  the  various 
churches.     In  all  this  experience  the  Philip- 
pians have  been  partakers  with  the  apostle  in 


1  the  grace  of  God,  for  Paul  regarded  it  as  a 
grace  to  be  permitted  to  preach  the  gospel  (see 
Eph.  3  :  8),  and  to  suffer  for  it.  See  ver.  29, 
where  the  words  "it  is  given"  hint  in  the 
original  at  the  divine  favor  in  the  privilege. 
This  special  favor  of  God  the  Philippians  had 
shared  by  participating  so  zealously  in  the 
apostle's  work  and  trials.  They  had  minis- 
tered to  him  in  bonds,  and  sustained  his  spirit 
in  his  vast  labors,  and  it  was  entirely'  in 
harmony  with  Paul's  noble  nature,  to  dignify 
their  sympathy  by  suggesting  that  it  was  all  a 
mark  of  the  divine  favor.  Thus  their  work 
was  elevated  to  a  lofty  plain,  and  they  were 
encouraged  to  enter  with  alacrity  upon  future 
tasks.  The  word  'partakers'  by  its  similarity 
of  sound  and  meaning  in  the  original  with 
the  word  translated  'fellowship'  (ver. 5),  brings 
again  Vividly  before  the  mind  that  beautiful 
spirit  of  fraternity  which  characterized  the 
church;  their  fellowship  with  each  other  was 
also  a  fellowship  with  the  apostle. 

8.  For  CJod  is  my  record  (or,  witness). 
For  similar  forms  of  attestation,  see  Rom.  1 :  9; 

2  Cor.  1  :  23  ;  1  Thess.  2  :  5,  10.  How  greatly 
I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus 
Christ.  These  words  confirm  his  previous 
statement,  that  he  has  them  in  his  heart,  by  a 
striking  metaphor— I  not  only  have  you  in 
my  heart,  but  that  heart  is  the  very  heart  of 
Christ  himself,  who  abides  within  me  (0.11.2:20), 
and  whose  heart  beats  in  my  bosom.  The 
word  'bowels'  is  very  common  with  Paul,  and 
is  borrowed  from  the  Hebrew.  It  has  not  a 
pleasant  sound  in  English,  and  the  Revised 
Version  has  put  "tender  mercies"  in  its  place, 
but  this  destroys  the  apostle's  image  entirely, 
and  gives  us  prose  instead  of  poetry.  The 
word  heart  would  be  a  better  rendering, 
although  not  quite  so  accurate  as  'bowels,'  for 
it  would  harmonize  better  with  our  modes  of 
speech.  We  express  by  this  word  that  idea  of 
sympathy  and  tender  affection  which  the 
Hebrew  convej'ed  by  the  word  bowels.  Gen- 
erally Paul  says  "  in  Christ,"  simply;  but  he 
doubtless  chose  this  special  word  because  he 


'in  my  bonds,' which  describe  the  apostle's  condition,  I  ployraent.  The  single  article  before  the  two  words 
thesec()n<l  in  the  combined  expression  'the  defence  and  'defence  and  confirmation,' combine  them  into  a  single 
coufinuatioD  of  the  gospel,'  which  describes  his  em-    conception. 


Ch.  I] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


13 


9  And  tiiis  I  pray,  that  your  I  ve  may  abound  yet 
more  and  luoro  in  kiiuwleilge  and  iu  all  judgment ; 

10  'Ihai  ye  may  approve  things  that  are  excellent; 
that  ye  may  be  Mucere  and  wiiUout  otleuce  till  the  day 
ol'  Christ: 


9  the  tender  mercies  of  Christ  Jesus.    And  this  I  pray, 
that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in 
10  knowledge  and  all  discernment ;  so  that  ye  may  '  ap- 
prove the  things  that  are  excellent ;    thai  ye  niay  be 
sincere  and  void  ol' oB'ence  unto   the  day  "of  Christ; 


1  Or,  prove  the  Hiings  that  differ. 


wished  to  give  peculiar  vvarnith  and  tender- 
ness to  his  laiiguiige. 

9.  And  this  I  pray.  Having  stated  the 
cause  of  the  thankfulness  expressed  in  ver.  3, 
he  now  gives  tlie  purport  of  tlie  prayer  ailuded 
to  in  ver.  4.  It  is  Paul's  way  in  writing  to  the 
churches,  first  of  all,  to  praise  their  character- 
istic excellencies,  and  then  to  suggest  their 
characteristic  defects.  So  iiere  he  begins  by 
extolling  the  fellowship  of  the  church,  and 
then  delicately  hints  at  their  need  of  greater 
knowledge  and  judgment  by  telling  them  that 
the  increase  I'f  their  love  in  these  particulars 
forms  the  subject  of  his  constant  prayer. 
Your  love.  This  word  denotes  that  inward 
state  of  the  soul  already  described  as  'fellow- 
ship.' Love  is  not  exactly  identical  with  fel- 
lowship, but  rather  its  root  and  support,  so 
that  while  recalling  the  latter  word  it  suggests 
at  the  same  time  the  source  of  that  beautiful 
fraternity.  The  Greek  word  here  used  (dyaiDj), 
though  the  usual  one  in  the  New  Testament, 
is  not  found  in  profane  writers,  and  was  appar- 
ently coined  by  the  Alexandrian  translators 
of  the  Old  Testament.  The  ordinary  Greek 
terms  for  love  seem  to  have  been  too  weak  to 
express  the  Hebrew  conception,  for  while  the 
Greek  language  had  the  strongest  expressions 
of  hatred  and  enmity,  it  had  no  words  descrip- 
tive of  love  in  its  divine  greatness.  May 
abound'  yet  more  and  more  in  knowledge 
and  in  all  jndgment.  Paul  does  not  pra\' 
for  a  mere  increase  of  their  love,  for  this  was 
already  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the 
church,  but  for  a  development  of  love  in  the 
direction  of  sound  knowledge  and  right  moral 
perceptions.  Their  love  needed  to  become 
more  intelligent  and  discriminating;  without 
knowledge  and  judgment,  love  is  apt  to  be 
misplaced  and  to  become  the  sport  of  every 
impulse.  The  apostle  desires  that  they  shall 
be  able  to  distinguish  the  true  from  the  false, 
and  shall  not  love  indiscriminateh'.  "Love 
without  knowledge  is  blind  ;  knowledge  with- 
out love  is  cold."  We  have  probably  a  hint 
here  of  the  characteristic  defect  in  the  relig- 


ious life  of  the  Philippian  Church — the  more 
thoughful  side  was  still  undeveloped— while 
the  Corinthian  Church,  on  the  other  hand, 
appears  pre-eminently  intellectual,  but  lack- 
ing in  humility  and  unity.  See  1  Cor.  1 :  4-10. 
The  word  translated  knowledge  in  the  text 
denotes  a  fiiU  and  more  complete  knowledge. 
See  1  Cor.  13  :  12,  where  the  simple  and  the 
compound  words  appear  in  a  most  instructive 
contrast.  The  word  'judgment'  (Common 
Version),  'discernment'  (Revised  Version), 
signifies  discrimination,  moral  tact  (De  Wette) 
— that  inward  perception  which  guides  right 
in  morals  as  by  a  kind  of  instinct.  "The soul 
also  hath  her  senses  as  well  as  the  body." 
(Trapp. )  The  Greek  word  occurs  only  here 
in  the  New  Testament,  though  a  related  word 
appears  in  Heb.  5  :  14,  signif3-ing  organs  of 
moral  sense.     Compare  Jer.  4  :  9. 

10.  This  verse  is  rendered  in  two  ways: 
That  ye  may  approve  things  that  are  ex- 
cellent (Common  Version;  Kevised  Version), 
or.  That  ye  may  try  (prove)  the  things  that 
differ  (margins  of  both  versions).  The  difter- 
ence  between  these  two  renderings  is  not  im- 
portant, for  both  processes  must  have  a  place. 
If  we  distinguish  things  that  differ,  it  is  for  the 
sake  of  approving  what  is  excellent,  and  vice 
versa,  if  we  approve  things  that  are  excellent, 
it  must  be  in  consequence  of  liaviiig  distin- 
guished between  things  that  differ.  3[eyer 
prefers  the  first  rendering,  because  it  describes 
a  higher  moral  act,  but  the  second  harmon- 
izes better  with  the  word  'judgment,'  which 
suggests  a  sifting  process.  In  this  process,  as 
Bengel  well  says,  we  are  not  merely  to  distin- 
guish the  good  from  the  bad,  but  the  best 
among  the  good,  whose  excellence  none  but 
the  more  advanced  perceive.  Paul  has  here 
given  us  a  true  description  of  Christian  wis- 
dom, love  growing  continually  richer  in 
knowledge  and  moral  discernment.  That  ye 
may  be  sincere  and  withont  offence  de- 
scribes the  result  of  the  moral  discipline  ob- 
tained by  exercising  the  spiritual  faculties  in 
distinguishing  things  that  difler.     Tiie  word 


1  The  present  tense  of  the  verb  denotes  continuous  growth. 


14 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


U  Being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of 
God. 

12  But  I  would  ye  should  understand,  brethren,  that 
the  tilings  which  huppentd  unto  uie  have  fallen  out 
rather  unto  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel ; 


11  being  filled  with  the  '  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
are  turough  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  prai»e 
of  Cod. 

12  Now  I  would  have  you  know,  brethren,  that  the 
things  which  happened  unto  me  have  fallen  out  rather 


1  Gr.  fruit. 


'sincere'  means,  literally,  "tested  by  the  sun- 
light." Hence,  it  is  a  very  picturesque  and 
strong  description  of  Christian  purity.  'With- 
out ofience' — that  is,  causing  no  one  to  stum- 
ble, leading  no  one  to  sin.  Compare  1  Cor. 
10:32.  In  these  two  expressions,  'pure' 
and  'without  oft'ence,'  we  have  a  positive 
and  negative  description  of  blanielessness. 
The  tirst  word  also  refers  more  directly  to 
their  relations  with  God;  the  second  to  their 
relations  with  men.  Till  (or,  unto)  the  day 
of  Christ  describes  the  all-important  time 
■when  this  character  shall  be  revealed,  and 
therefore  a  day  ever  to  be  kept  in  mind. 

11.  Being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  right- 
eousness. Paul  is  not  satisfied  with  purity 
and  harmlessness,  but  desires  a  fullness  of 
Christian  graces.  'The  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness' are  true  and  right  actions,  moral  and 
spiritual  obedience.  'Righteousness'  is  not 
here  the  righteousness  of  faith — that  is,  that 
righteousness  which  faith  appropriates — but 
rectitude  of  conduct,  that  righteousness  which 
faith  reflects,  as  the  dewdrop  reflects  the  sun. 
Whicli  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  only 
source  of  such  good  actions.  Christ  must  abide 
in  us  before  we  can  bear  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness. See  John  15  :  4.  Unto  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God,  the  end  and  aim  of  all  fruit 
bearing.  'Glory'  denotes  the  divine  majesty, 
and  'praise'  the  acknowledgment  of  that  divine 
majesty  among  men.  Good  works,  or  '  fruits 
of  righteousness,'  display  the  divine  glory, 
because  all  goodness  in  man  has  its  origin  in 
God,  and  hence  men  are  led  to  praise  God 
whenever  they  behold  this  particular  manifes- 
tation of  his  glory.  See  Matt.  5 :  16.  In  Eph. 
1  :  G  we  have  a  slightly  difterent  expression  for 
the  idea  in  the  text:  "to  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace." 

In  this  beautiful  outpouring  of  the  apostles 
heart,  we  obttiin  one  of  the  clearest  glimpses 
into  his  loving  and  tender  nature  that  any  of 
his  writings  attbrd.     Other  epistles  reveal  more 


fully  his  wonderful  knowledge,  his  logical 
power,  his  profound  thought,  his  bold  and 
lofty  spirit,  but  none  reveals  to  us  so  clearly 
as  this  the  depths  of  his  heart.  Here  the 
stream  of  loving,  tender  words  flows  on,  un- 
flecked  and  unruffled,  and  in  it  we  see,  as  in  a 
mirror,  the  perfect  lineaments  of  a  most  noble 
nature. 

12-26.  The  Apostle's  Condition  at 
Rome  and  his  State  of  Feeling. —  He 
informs  them  of  the  eftect  of  his  imprison- 
ment upon  the  cause  of  Christ  (1*2-14),  mag- 
nanimously declares,  in  view  of  the  insincerity 
of  some  of  the  preachers  of  the  gospel,  that  he 
takes  account  of  nothing  else  but  the  fact,  that 
Christ  is  preached  (15-18),  and  calmly  revolves 
the  question  whether  life  or  death  is  to  be  the 
issue  of  his  present  condition  (iy-26). 

12.  But  I  would  yc  should  understand 
— or,  Noiv  I  lomtld  have  you  know,  bret/ireji. 
(Revised  Version).  The  suggestion  of  Wies- 
inger,  that  the  church  may  have  addressed 
him  some  questions  concerning  the  effect  of 
his  imprisonment  upon  the  cause  of  Christ, 
and  that  this  accounts  for  the  suddenness  of 
the  tritnsition,  seems  highly  probable.  Natur- 
ally, the  church,  on  hearing  the  circumstances 
of  his  visit  to  Rome,  would  be  fearful  lest  the 
fact  of  his  being  a  prisoner,  in  chains,  might 
prove  detrimental  to  the  gospel ;  and  what  so 
likelj^  as  that  in  their  solicitude  they  should 
question  him  about  it?  At  any  rate,  whether 
informed  of  their  anxiety  or  only  surmising 
it,  the  apostle  hastens  to  remove  it  by  declaring 
that,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  all  had  resulted 
in  good.  That  the  things  Avhich  happ<-ned 
unto  me^ — the  imprisonment  and  attendant 
circumstances.  Have  fallen  out  rather  unto 
the  furtherance  of  the  gospel,  than  the  op- 
posite, as  might  have  been  feared.  How  char- 
acteristic is  all  this  of  Paul !  Nowhere  does 
he  dwell  on  the  hardships  of  his  lot,  but  ever 
sets  before  the  reader  its  hopeful  features.  He 
had  intended  to  visit  Rome,  when  his  work  in 


1  In  late  writers,  the  preposition  Kara,  with  a  personal  I  so  that  rd  Kar'  ifie  is  equivalent  to  rd  e/Ao,  literally,  my 
pronoun,  becomes  almost  equivalent  to  the  possessive,  |  affairs. 


Ch.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


15 


13  So  that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are  manifest  in  all  the  I  13  unto  the  progress  of  tlie  gospel ;  so  that  my  bonds 
palace,  and  iu  all  other  jB/ace«;  |        Iwcauie  mauitest  in  Clirisi  '  throughout  the  whole 

1  Gr.  in  the  whole  Pratorium. 


Asia  and  Greece  should  be  finished,  but  he  ; 
had  not  expected  to  be  carried  there  a  pris-  I 
oner.  Yet  this  very  circumstance  was  un- 
doubtedly a  help  to  his  work;  his  acquaint- 
ance witli  tlie  soldiers  obtained  for  him  an 
opening  at  Rome  even  in  Ciesar's  houseliold 
(4:22),  whicii  he  would  probably  otherwise 
have  sought  in  vain.  Of  course,  this  was  due 
to  God's  overruling  providence,  which  makes 
even  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him.  (ps.  76:  lo.) 
Paul  might  say  to  his  enemies,  as  Joseph  said 
to  his  brethren:  "Ye  thought  evil  against 
me;  but  God  meant  it  unto  good."  (GeD.50:20.) 
13.  So  that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are 
manifest — better,  have  become  manifest  in 
Christ.  One  way  in  which  his  imprisonment 
helped  to  further  the  gospel  was  by  making 
his  bonds  manifest  in  Christ  to  the  soldiers 
who  guarded  him,  and  through  them  to  others. 
The  words  'in  Christ'  should  be  connected 
with  'manifest,'  not,  as  in  tiie  Common  Ver- 
sion, with  '  my  bonds.'  The  simple  manifest- 
ing of  his  bonds,  or  making  him  known  as  a 
prisoner,  would  not  have  helped  the  gospel; 
but  the  manifesting  of  them  in  Christ — that  is, 
revealing  them  as  borne  in  Christ's  service 
and  for  his  sake— did  benefit  the  gospel.  The 
whole  emphasis  of  the  sentence  should  be  laid 
upon  the  words 'manifest  in  Christ';  for  this 
was  the  feature  of  his  imprisonment  that  was 
of  importance.  Instead  of  being  regarded  as 
a  common  criminal  who  had  committed  some 
great  and  disgraceful  crime,  as  would  natur- 
ally have  been  the  case,  he  was  soon  known 
as  a  prisoner  for  the  sake  of  his  religion ;  he 
was  recognized  as  "a  prisoner  of  the  Lord" 
(Eph. 4: 1),  suffering  "as a  Christian"  (i  Peter4:i«). 
Compare  Acts  28  :  20;  Eph.  6  :  20.  Thus  his 
bonds  served  to  preach  Christ;  for  they  pro- 
claimed to  all  beholders  how  much  he  valued 
the  gospel,  since  he  was  willing  to  be  bound 
for  its  sake.  In  all  the  palace.  The  word 
tran.slated  'palace'  means,  primarily,  a  gen- 
eral's tent  or  headquarters.  It  was  then  ap- 
plied to  the  camp  or  barracks  of  the  praetorian 
guard,  or  emperor's  body  guard,  at  Rome, 
which  was  built  on  the  east  of  the  city,  just 
outside  of  the  Viminal  gate,  and  also  to  the 
residences  of  governors  in  the  provinces  (Matt. 


27:?7,etai.),  and  cvcu  to  the  palaces  of  kings 
(Juvenal  10  :  161) ;  but  there  is  no  instance  of 
its  application  to  the  imperial  residence  at 
Rome,  which  is  called  "Caesar's  house"  in 
4  :  22,  nor  is  it  likely  that  it  would  be  so  ap- 
plied, as  it  had  become  the  technical  name  for 
the  governors'  residences  in  the  provinces. 
The  imperial  residence  on  the  Palatine  hill 
seems  to  have  included  a  portion  of  the  bar- 
racks of  the  pra;torian  guard,  and  the  word 
may  have  been  applied  to  that  portion  of  the 
residence,  but  never  to  the.  palace  as  a  whole. 
Lightfoot  translates  "  praetorian  guard,"  and 
so  also  does  the  Revised  Version  ;  but  Dr. 
Hackett  well  says  that  "  with  that  direct  per- 
sonal sense,  we  might  have  e.xpected  the  dativ« 
without  'in'  (iv),  as  in  the  other  clause  (com- 
pare Acts  4 :  16 ;  7 :  13 ;  1  Tim.  5 :  15),  whereas, 
with  the  local  sense  as  the  direct  one,  and  the 
personal  as  indirect,  the  change  of  construction 
becomes  perfectly  natural."  (Lange's  "  Com- 
mentary," p.  20.)  In  Acts  23  :  3o  we  find  the 
word  used  of  the  place  of  Paul's  imprison- 
ment at  Cesarea  ;  and  those  who  believe  the 
Epistle  to  have  been  written  during  Paul's 
stay  there,  base  their  argument  almost  wholly 
on  this  correspondence  in  the  words  designat- 
ing his  place  of  imprisonment.  See  "In- 
troduction," p.  5.  In  Acts  28:  16  we  learn 
that  Paul  dwelt  in  his  own  hired  house;  but 
even  if  this  were  outside  of  the  barracks,  he 
must  still  have  been  guarded  constantly  b^-  an 
attendant  soldier,  who  would  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  hearing  him  preach  and  of  learning 
both  the  facts  of  his  personal  history  and  of 
the  gospel  stor^- ;  and  as  the  soldiers  relieved 
each  other  in  turn,  a  large  number  would 
come  gradually  to  know  the  true  state  of  the 
case — the  real  reasons  for  the  apostle's  impris- 
onment— and  would  naturally  si)read  such 
interesting  facts  throughout  a  still  wider 
circle,  until  they  became  known  through  the 
whole  pnetorian  camp.  And  in  all  other 
places — or,  as  in  Revised  Version,  And  to  nil 
the  rest  (others  beside  the  praHorian  guard). 
He  does  not  mean  that  all  the  rest  of  tho 
people  of  Rome  heard  of  the  true  cause  of  his 
imprisonment,  but  declares,  in  a  popular  and 
hyperbolical   way,    that  a   great   many   did. 


16 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


14  And  many  of  the  bretluen  in  the  Lord,  waxing 
confident  by  njy  bonds,  are  uiucU  more  bold  to  speak 
the  word  withoiii  foar. 

15  Some  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of  envy  and 
strife;  and  some  also  of  good  will : 


11  praetorian  guard,  and  to  all  the  rest ;  and  that  most 
of  the  brethren  in  the  Lord, '  beinjr  confident  through 
my  bonds,  are  more  abiiudanily  bold  to  speak  ihe 

15  word  of  God  without  tear.  Some  indeed  preach 
Christ  even  of  envy  and  sirite ;  and  some  also  of  good 


1  Gr.  trusting  in  my  bonds. 


Compare  Matt.  3  :  5.  While  all  the  Koman 
citizens  did  not  learn  the  facts  of  the  case, 
those  who  did  leant  them  were  very  likely  to 
get  a  true  statement  of  the  cause  of  his  con- 
finement, and  discovered  that  he  was  no  com- 
mon criminal. 

14.  And  many  of  the  brethren  in  the 
Lord,  waxing  confident  by  my  bonds.  A 
better  translation  wotild  be:  And  tnost  of  the 
brethren  being  confident  in  the  Lord  through 
my  bonds.  Another  effect  of  his  imprison- 
ment was  to  encourage  the  brethren,  not  all 
of  thetn,  but  the  majority.  There  was  still  a 
small  minority  who  mtinifested  a  cowardly 
and  unworthy  spirit,  but  the  greater  part, 
seeing  the  spirit  in  which  Paul  endured  his 
imprisonment  for  Christ's  stike,  becatiie  more 
courageous  themselves.  The  inspiring  exam- 
ple of  Paul,  his  hopefulness  and  cheerfulness, 
even  in  bonds,  encouraged  these  brethren  to 
lay  hold  with  firtner  faith  upon  the  promises 
of  God.  The  apostle's  bonds  were  a  tangible 
evidence  of  his  faith  in  the  gospel,  and  so  they 
wonderfully  affected  the  brethren,  for  very 
often  the  eye  of  the  body  influences  the  eye  of 
the  soul.  The  words  'in  the  Lord'  should  be 
connected  with  'being  confident,'  and  not,  as 
in  the  Common  and  Revised  Versions,  with 
'brethren.'  Their  confidence  was  in  God, 
otherwise  Paul's  bonds  would  have  produced 
distnay  instead  of  courage.  'In  the  Lord' 
describes  the  cause,  and  'through  my  bonds' 
the  occasion  of  their  confidence.  Are  much 
more  bold  than  if  he  were  not  a  prisoner. 
To  speak  the  word  without  fear.  The 
implication  is  that  they  had  already  ventured 
to  speak  before  this,  but  with  some  degree  of 
fear.  "  Had  he  when  in  bonds  taken  it  hardly, 
and  held  his  peace,  it  were  probable  that  they 
would  be  affected  in  like  manner.  But  as  he 
spoke  more  boldly  when  in  bonds,  he  gave 
them  more  confidence  than  if  he  had  not  been 
bound."  (Chrysostom.)  The  accumulation 
of  emphatic  phrases,  '  being  confident,'  'much 
more  bold,'  'without  fear,'  springs  froin  the 
apostle's  overflowing  heart,  like  the  emphatic 
repetition,  'all,'  'always,'   'every,'  in  ver.  3, 


4,  and  the  accumulated  expression  in  ver.  9, 
10. 

15.  Some  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of 
envy  and  strife.  Not  all  the  brethren  have 
been  made  confident  in  the  Lord  by  the  apos- 
tle's bonds  Some  are  taking  occasion  from 
his  imprisonment  to  show  a  very  diflerent 
spirit.  The  preachers  here  described  cannot 
be  a  portion  of  those  already  mentioned  in 
ver.  14,  for  those  brethren  are  portrayed  in 
entirely  different  colors  from  these;  but  we 
have  here  a  description  of  that  minority  al- 
ready hinted  at  in  the  words  '  most  of  the 
brethren.'  These  preach  from  'envy  and 
strife,'  from  wrong  motives,  from  envy  of 
Paul's  influence  and  success,  and  for  the  sake 
of  exciting  strife  in  the  church.  The  very 
main  spring  of  their  activity  is  therefore  a  de- 
sire to  injure  Paul  and  to  destroy  his  influ- 
ence. "So  it  is  possible  to  do  a  good  work 
from  a  motive  which  is  not  good."  (Chrysos- 
tom.) Who  these  opposers  were  cannot  be 
determined,  but  the  general  view,  that  they 
were  the  Judaizing  party,  seems  opposed  to 
the  fact  that  Paul  rejoiced  over  their  efforts, 
because  thereby  Christ  was  preached.  The 
difficulty  with  these  brethren  seems  to  lie  in 
their  motives  rather  than  their  doctrine. 
Paul's  words  in  ver.  18  certainly  imply  this, 
for  he  says  thtit  Christ  is  preached  by  both 
parties,  but  by  the  one  in  pretence,  by  the 
other  in  truth  ;  that  is,  the  one  party  was  hon- 
est, the  other  dishonest;  but  if  they  had  been 
Judaizers  the  difference  would  have  been  of 
another  kind.  Such  indications  as  this — and 
they  are  by  no  means  infrequent — show  that 
the  popular  notion  of  the  apostolic  churches, 
as  far  superior  to  those  of  any  subsequent  )>e- 
riod,  is,  to  say  the  least,  very  doubtful.  And 
some  also  of  good  will.  These  are  the 
same  as  those  mentioned  in  ver.  14,  but  intro- 
duced here  again  under  a  different  point  of 
view,  and  in  contrast  with  those  just  described. 
These  preach  from  'good  will,'  the  opposite  of 
'envy  and  strife.'  Their  motive  was  a  per- 
sonal one  also,  but  how  noble  and  pure,  good 
will  toward  one  who  was  the  appointed  de- 


Ch.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


17 


16  The  one  preach  Christ  of  contention,  not  sincerely, 
supporting  to  add  uttlictiuii  to  my  bonds  : 

1/  But  the  oilitT  of  love,  knowing  that  I  am  set  for 
the  delence  of  the  gospel. 


16  will :  1  the  one  do  it  of  love,  knowing  that  I  am  set 

17  for  the  del'eiice  of  the  g.ispel:  -bin    the  other   \<r«- 
claim   Christ  of  faction,  not   sincerely,  thinking  lo 


1  Or,  they  that  are  moved  by  <oiie  do  it.' i  Or,  but  they  that  are  factious  proclaim  Christ. 


fender  of  the  gospel,  whose  work  they  re- 
garded as  a  holy  work,  wliich  it  was  their  duty 
to  help  forward,  especially  now  that  by  his 
imprisonment  he  himself  was  hindered  to  a 
great  extent  from  carrying  out  his  mission. 
The  word  'good  will '  is  generally  used  of  the 
divine  good  pleasure,  as  in  2  :  13,  but  it  is  also 
used  of  mans  good  will  in  Eom.  10  :  1. 

16,  17.  The  Received  Text  reverses  the  true 
order  of  these  verses,  probably  for  the  sake  of 
symmetry  in  the  course  of  thought.  Accord- 
ing to  tlie  correct  arrangement,  observed  in 
the  Revised  Version,  the  subject  hist  men- 
tioned in  the  preceding  verse  is  discussed  first 
in  this.  Such  irregularities  are  not  uncom- 
mon in  other  writers.  The  rhetorical  name 
for  such  an  arrangement  of  words  or  clauses 
is  a  chiasmus,  or  chiasma.  The  order  should 
be  as  follows:  The  one  [do  it]  of  love  ;  bet- 
ter, t/ie  one  of  love  do  it,  that  is,  preach  Christ, 
as  suggested  in  ver.  15.  Compare  rendering  on 
the  margin  of  Revised  Version.  In  the  Com- 
mon and  the  Revised  Versions  the  words  'of 
love'  are  connected  with  the  predicate:  'The 
one  do  it  of  love';  but  in  this  case  we  have 
repeated  again  the  motive  of  their  preaching, 
which  has  once  been  given  already;  so  that  it 
is  better  to  take  the  words  as  belonging  to  the 
subject,  as  in  the  kindred  expressions,  "they 
■which  are  of  faith  "'  (oai.  s :  7),  "  every  one  that 
is  of  the  truth"  (Joim  i8:37),  etc.,  in  which  case 
tbej- characterize  their  prevailing  spirit.  They 
are  'of  love,'  the  love  party;  love  is  their 
nature;  from  love  they  derive  their  very  life; 
it  is  the  fountain  whence  all  their  activity  flows. 
Knowing  that  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of 
the  go<>pel  unfolds  more  fully  the  nature  of 
their  motive,  mentioned  in  ver.l5.  Their  'good 
will '  was  not  directed  merely  toward  his  per- 
son, but.  included  his  work,  and  was  in  fact 
chiefly  based  upon  that.  This  'good  will'  was 
but  another  phase  of  their  general  spirit  of 
love,  which,  being  of  God  (1  John*;  7),  natur- 
ally embraced  the  person  of  one  so  devoted 
to  God's  work.  On  the  verb  'set,'  com- 
pare Luke  2  :  34;    1  Thess.  3:3;   also  1  Cor. 


9  :  16,  "Necessity  is  hiid  ujxjn  me."  But  the 
other  preuch  Christ  of  contention — bet- 
ter. Of  contetitiousness  proclaim  Christ.  Com- 
pare margin  of  Revised  Version.  See  the 
same  Greek  phrase  in  Rom.  2:  8.  These  are 
theenvious  party,  whose  motives  have  already 
been  described  in  ver.  15.  The  word  trans- 
lated 'contentiousness'  signifies  intrigue  or 
party  spirit,  and  includes  both  the  envy  and 
strife  of  ver.  15.  In  Gal.  5  :  20  Paul  mentions 
this  among  the  works  of  the  flesh.  These  con- 
tentious ones,  like  the  love  party,  'proclaim 
Christ,'  which  words  might  have  been  omitted, 
as  in  the  preceding  verse,  but  are  added  to 
bring  out  the  baseness  of  their  motives  :  they 
proclaim  Christ,  attempt  such  holy  work — 
not  purely,  etc.  The  Greek  verb  here  used 
does  not  diflTer  materially  from  that  in  the 
preceding  verse.  Literally,  the  former  signi- 
fies to  announce,  as  a  messenger,  the  latter  to 
proclaim,  as  a  herald;  but  both  are  used  in- 
discriminately of  preaching.  Although  this 
party  preach  Christ,  it  is  not  with  a  pure  and 
honest  purpose.  The  apostle  does  not  strictly 
impute  hypocrisy  to  them,  as  the  words  'not 
sincerely'  of  the  Common  Version  and  the 
Revised  Version  would  suggest,  but  rather  a 
spirit  of  narrow-minded  partisanship  and  per- 
sonal hostility.  Chrysostom  probably'  ex- 
presses the' truth  when  he  represents  thetn  as 
jealous  of  the  apostle.  Supposing  to  add 
affliction  to  my  bonds.  "His  bonds  were 
already  an  !\ftlictioii :  they  were  adding  aftlic- 
tion  to  the  afflicted.  '  (Bengel.)  The  word 
'supposing'  (oioMfi-oi),  u.-ed  by  Paul  nowhere 
else,  is  aptl3'  chosen  to  liint  that  their  purpose 
was  not  realized,  and  forms  a  suggestive  con- 
trast with  the  word  'knowing'  (eiioTt?)  of  the 
previous  verse.'  Those  have  knowledge,  these 
mere  supposition.  They  supposed  that  their 
animosity  and  personal  enmity  would  add  or 
raise  up  (Revised  Version  founded  upon  a 
better  reading)  affliction;  that  is,  make  his 
imprisonment  more  distressing  by  causing  his 
spirit  to  chafe  against  the  chains  that  held 
him,  as  he  beheld  his  opponents  having  such 


1  Compare  Plato's  "Apology,"  41  D,  where  Socrates 
the  futililv  of  the  cfiTort. 


uses  the  words  oid^ei-ot  pkanrew  with  the  same  idea  of 


18 


PHILIPPIA^^S. 


[Ch.  I. 


18  What  then  ?  notwithstanding,  every  way,  whether 
in  pretence,  or  in  truth, Christ  is  preached;  and  1  tliere- 
in  do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice. 

19  For  1  know  that  this  shall  turn  to  my  salvation 
through  your  prayer,  and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  Christ, 


18  raise  up  afHiction  for  me  in  my  bonds.  What  then? 
only  that  in  every  way,  whether  in  pretence  or  in 
truth,  Christ  is  proclaimed;  and  therein   1   rejoice, 

ly  yea,  and  will  rejoice.  For  I  know  that  this  shall 
turn  to  my  salvation,  through  your  supplication  and 


a  free  field  for  their  pernicious  undertaiving. 
In  this,  however,  they  were  mistaken,  as  the 
sequel  sliows. 

18.  What  then  ?  What  then  is  the  state  of 
the  ctise  so  far  as  I  am  concerned?  The  ques- 
tion implies  that  he  is  in  no  despondent  state 
of  mind  about  it.  Notwithstanding  (better, 
as  in  Revised  Version,  'Only  that,''  onlj'  this 
is  the  case)  'that  in  every  way' — that  is,  of 
preaching — more  exactly  defined  by  what  fol- 
lovvs — '  whether  in  pretence,  or  in  truth,  Christ 
is  preached.'  The  party  of  contentiousness 
would,  of  course,  claim  to  be  preaching  Christ 
from  love,  but  as  this  was  not  their  motive, 
they  were  really  making  a  pretence;  the  pro- 
fessed motive  was  not  the  real  motive.  Com- 
pare Mark  12  :  40;  Luke  20  :  47.  And  I 
therein,  that  is,  in  the  fact  that  Christ  is 
preached,  no  matter  how,  do  rejoice.  These 
false  brethren  do  not  succeed  in  disturbing 
tiie  mind  of  the  Great  Apostle,  which  is 
generous  enough  to  rejoice  in  their  eflTorts, 
even  though  they  are  prompted  by  personal 
liostility  to  himself.  He  sees  the  "soul  of 
goodness  in  things  evil."  He  sees  that  there 
is  truth  even  in  such  preaching — Christ  is  pre- 
sented as  the  lioi)e  of  sinners,  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  is  diffused  more  widely,  and  this  is 
enough  to  give  him  joy.  Whatever  imper- 
fections there  may  have  been  in  the  substance 
or  spirit  of  their  teaching,  even  an  imperfect 
Christianity  was  better  thtin  the  gross  heathen- 
ism that  prevailed  everywhere.  What  a 
glorious  glimpse  we  have  here  into  the  apostle's 
heart.  Never  was  a  more  generous  and  noble 
sentiment  about  one' spersomil  enemies  uttered 
than  this  of  Paul's.  Self  is  forgotten,  and  the 
interests  of  truth  are  all  in  all.  Compare 
Mark  9  :  40:  "Jesus  said.  Forbid  him  not,  he 
that  is  not  against  us  is  on  our  part."  In 
opposition  to  the  misuse  of  this  passage,  Calvin 
well  says:  "But  though  Paul  rejoiced  in  the 
increase  of  the  gospel,  he  would  never  have 
ordained  such  ministers,  had  the  matter  been 
in  his  hands."  Those  who  suppose  the.se 
opponents  to  be  Judaizers,  find  it  difficult  to 
account  for  the  fact  that  Paul  rejoices  in  their 
success.        His     feelings     are    very    different 


toward  those  mentioned  in  3  :  2,  seq.,  whom 
some  suppose  to  be  identical  with  those  here 
referred  to.  The  view  that  these  teachers 
must  have  been  Judaizers  seems  to  hsive 
sprung  from  the  feeling,  that  it  was  impossible 
for  Christian  teachers  to  have  acted  in  opposi- 
tion to  Paul,  but  Wiesinger  well  answers  this-. 
"  It  will  require  to  be  proved  that  there  could 
not  be  then,  as  well  as  now,  men  who  sought 
their  own  honor  in  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  whose  hearts  were  far  from  the  truth 
which  their  lips  uttered."  Yea,  and  will 
(or,  shrill)  rejoice.  He  not  only  rejoices  now, 
but  shall  in  future.  The  translations  of  both 
the  Common  and  Revised  Versions  produce 
an  impression  that  the  original  does  not  war- 
rant, that  the  apostle  resolutel3'  combats  all 
tendency  to  desp<jndency,  and  says,  "  I  ivill 
rejoice,"  as  if  he  were  to  saj-,  "  I  am  deter- 
mined to  see  only  the  bright  side."  The  origi- 
nal is,  however,  simple  future  without  any 
idea  of  resolve.  Besides,  it  should  be  con- 
nected more  closely  with  what  follows,  rather 
than  with  the  preceding  words. 

19.  For  I  know  confirms  these  statements 
about  his  joy,  by  the  assurance  that  only  good 
can  come  out  of  this  opposition.  Compare 
Rom.  8:28.  It  gives  the  reason  for  both  his 
present  and  his  future  rejoicing.  His  enemies 
cannot  now  or  at  any  future  time  deprive  him 
of  his  joy.  That  this  shall  turn  to  my  sal- 
vation— that  is,  this  state  of  afl^'airs  in  which 
Christ  is  preached  both  from  pure  and  impure 
motives.  'This'  refers  to  the  same  thing  as 
'therein.'  (ver. is.)  There  he  declares  this  two- 
fold preaching  to  be  an  occasion  of  joy;  here 
he  asserts  that  it  shall  procure  for  him  'salva- 
tion,' instead  of  affliction,  as  his  enemies  pur- 
posed, (ver.  16.)  The  word  'salvation'  cannot 
mean  here  eternal  life,  which  comes  to  us 
purely  through  the  work  of  Christ;  nor  can 
it  mean  the  saving  of  others,  for  the  personal 
pronoun  "my"  refers  the  matter  entirely  to 
the  apostle  himself  The  word  must  be  under- 
■stood  in  its  most  general  sense,  as  well-being, 
without  any  attempt  to  define  it  more  pre- 
cisely, for  it  is  only  as  he  proceeds  that  the 
apostle  announces  how  far  and  in  what  way  he 


Ch.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


20  According  to  niy  earnest  expectation  and  »(?/hope, 
that  in  notbing  I  sliall  be  ashamed,  but  Hint  With  all 
boldness,  as  always,  so  now  also  Christ  shall  be  magni- 
fied in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life,  or  by  death. 


expects  good  results  out  of  tliis  state  of  affairs. 
Coin  pare  Job  13  :  6,  where  the  Greek  of  the 
Septuagint  is  exactly  the  same  as  the  words 
here,  and  the  word  'salvation'  has  the  same 
general  sense.  Through  your  prayer  and 
the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  envy  and  strife  would  turn  out  to  his  well 
being  by  inducing  the  Philippians  to  pray  for 
him  more  fervently,  and  thus  securing  for  him 
n  larger  supply  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  greater 
portion  of  divine  grace.  A  more  accurate 
translation  would  be:  Through  your  prayer 
and  supply  of  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ.  We 
almost  shrink  from  such  a  bold  expression, 
and  yet  it  is  the  apostle's  language  accurately 
interpreted.  He  conceived  of  the  Philippians 
as  actually  sujjplying  him  with  the  Spirit — of 
course  by  means  of  their  prayers,  for  the  two 
words,  prayer  and  supply,  are  bound  closely 
together  \n  the  Greek  by  a  single  article.'  The 
prayers  of  the  Philippians  are  the  efficient 
agency  in  securing  the  blessing  he  looks  for. 
Compare  James  5  :  IG.  AVhut  an  evidence  of 
the  high  value  which  the  apostle  placed  upon 
intercessory  prayer.  "He  who  depends  for 
help  on  the  prayers  of  saints,  relies  on  the 
promise  of  God."  (Calvin.)  The  Greek  word 
for  'supply-'  perhaps  retains  something  of  its 
primitive  meaning  "defraying the  exi)enses  of 
a  chorus,"'  in  the  suggestion  of  the  amiditude 
of  the  gift  and  the  liberality  of  the  giver. 
'The  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ'  is  the  Holy  Spirit, 
so  designated   here,   because  Jesus    has  and 

bestows    the  Spirit.       (Jolm  Io:26;  Rom.8:9;  GuI.  4:6; 

2  Cor. 3 ;  17;  1  Peter  1 :  11.)  The  cxaltation  of  the  Re- 
deemer secured  him  the  ^prerogative  of  be- 
stowing the  Sj)irit  upon  his  followers.  (J"ha  IC:  ?; 
Acts  2:  S3.) 

20.  According  to  my  earnest  expecta- 
tion and  my  hope.  The  assurance,  that  his 
spiritual  welfare  will  be  the  result,  is  in  har- 
mony with  his  'expectation  and  hope,'  which 
are  unfolded  in  the  following  words.  The 
Greek  word  for  'expectation'  found  only  here 
and   Rom.  8  :  19,  signifies  patient,   persistent 


looking  for,  till  the  fulfillment  is  realized; 
literally,  it  means  to  look  away  toward  any- 
thing, v/ith  the  head  bent  forward,  so  that  the 
use  of  this  word  presented  a  very  picture.><quo 
suggestion  to  the  readers  of  the  Epistle.  That 
in  nothing,  in  no  respect,  neuter;  not  mas- 
culine, in  no  person.  Shall  I  be  ashamed. 
His  long  expected  mission  to  the  great  metro- 
polis seems  to  have  been  thwarted  by  bonds, 
and  likely  to  be  cut  short  by  death,  but  he 
trusts  it  will  not  prove  a  failure  and  cast 
shame  upon  him.  Though  a  fettered  prisoner, 
deserted, and  traduced  by  those  who  ought  to 
have  been  his  friends,  and  without  any  favor 
among  those  in  power,  he  is  full  of  hope  and 
courage.  He  believes  that  now,  as  heretofore, 
he  shall  suffer  no  disgrace,  but  whatever  the 
result  of  his  imprisonment  may  be,  whether 
life  or  death,  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  him, 
and  he  can  ask  no  greater  glory  for  himself 
than  that.  Some  give  to  the  verb  the  meaning 
of  failing  in  duties,  so  that  the  apostle  declares 
that  he  will  not  fail  in  any  respect  to  perform 
his  full  duty,  but  Me3-er  well  says,  that  it  is 
not  the  behavior,  but  the  fate  of  the  apo.stle 
that  is  under  discussion.  Compare  Prov.  13  : 
5;  1  John  2  :  28.  But  has  here  its  full  adver- 
sative force,  but,  on  the  contrary.  That  with 
all  boldness.  '  All' complete,  entire.  'Bold- 
ness'; that  is,  of  speech,  the  opposite  of  the 
state  of  one  put  to  shame,  who  is  naturally 
silent.  See  1  John  2  :  28,  where  boldness  and 
shame  are  contrasted  as  here.  As  always^ 
so  now  also  Christ  shall  be  magnified. 
Instead  of  being  put  to  shame,  and  disgraced 
in  any  way,  he  expects  now,  as  alwaj's  hereto- 
fore, to  be  highly  honored,  for  he  can  receive 
no  greater  honor  than  to  be  made  the  instru- 
ment of  glorifying  his  Lord.  In  my  body — 
the  theatre  on  which  Christ  will  disjilay  liis 
glory.  Whether  by  life  or  by  death.  Two 
alternatives  suggested  by  the  last  words  'in 
my  body.'  Whicliever  of  the  two  alternatives 
may  come  to  pass,  whether  his  life  be  i)re- 
served,  or  destroyed,  Christ  will  be  honored,— 


'  The  article  and  pronoun  in  the  Greek  belong  to  Ixjth  I  above.    See  Biittmann's  "  Grammar  of  the  New  Testa- 
nonns,  combining  them  into  a  single  expression,  and  1  nient  Greek,"  p.  100. 
justifying  the  translation    and    interpretation    given  J 


20 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


21  For  to  Die  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  ('*•  gain. 
2.1  But  if  I  live  in  the  flesh,  this  is  the  Iruit  of  my 
labour:  yet  what  I  shall  choose  I  wot  not. 


21  For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain,    i  But 

22  if  to  live  in  the  flesh—//  -  this  shall  bring  fiuit  from 
my  work,  then   ^what  I  shall  choose  i  know  not. 


1  Or,  But  if  to  live  in  the  Jleelt  be  my  loi,  this  is  the  fruit  of  my  work :  and  what  I  thall  chooae  I  kn 
fruit  of  work »  Or,  what  shall  I  choose  f 


'■  Gr.  this  it  for  me 


if  life  is  continued,  by  his  apostolic  labors,  or  if 
he  meet  a  martyr's  fate,  by  his  steadfast  cour- 
age in  death.  In  the  latter  case,  conscious  of 
his  great  gain,  he  will  die  with  such  unfalter- 
ing courage  and  holy  joy,  as  to  reflect  honor 
on  his  Lord,  by  revealing  his  sustaining  power 
in  such  an  hour,  so  that  whatever  the  result 
may  be,  life  or  death,  his  boldness  and  Christ's 
glory  will  be  made  manifest.  "He  removes 
ignominy  from  himself;  he  ascribes  the  bold- 
ness tohimself,  theglory  to  Christ."  (Bengel.) 
The  change  from  the  first  person  in  'I  shall 
be  ashamed'  to  the  third  person  in  'Christ 
shall  be  magnified,'  shows  the  apostle's  deli- 
cate sensitiveness.  He  shrinks  from  saying 
"  I  shall  magnify  Christ."  Compare  similar 
thoughts  in  1  Cor.  6  :  20;  2  Cor.  4  :  10.  We 
have  now  the  full  development  of  that  word 
'salvatit)!!.'  (ver.  19.)  This  opposition  of  his 
enemies  will  lead  only  to  his  good  by  calling 
forth  earnest  prayers  in  his  behalf,  which  will 
secure  him  a  larger  supply  of  divine  grace, 
and  fulfill  his  hope  of  always  being  made  the 
instrument  of  Christ's  glory,  both  in  life  and 
deatli. 

21.  This  verse   confirms   the   last  words  of 
ver.  20,  'whether  by  life,  or  by  death.'     To 
me  is  placed  first  with  emphasis;  however  it 
may  be  with  others,  this  is  the  case  vnth  me. 
Life  is  but  another  name  for  Christ;  his  whole 
being  and  activities   are   his  Lord's.     "If  he 
traveled,  it  was  on  Christ's  errand  ;  if  he  suf- 
fered,   it  was   in    Christ's    service;  when    he 
spoke,  his  ti)eme   was   Christ;  and  when   he  I 
wrote,  Christ  filled  his  letters."     These  words 
do  not  mean  exactly  the  same  as  the  "Christ  i 
liveth    in   me"    of  Gal.  2  :  20.     There   Christ  I 
appears  as  the  source  of  life,  here  as  the  aim  { 
and   object  of  life.     The   truth   expressed   in 
Galatians  stands   related  to  this  as  cause  to 
effect.     Because  Christ  lives  in  hiin,  he  could 
also  say,  to  me*  to  live  is  Christ — that  is,  / 
lire  for  Christ.     To  die  is  gain,  because  he 
will  ther.eb^'  be  brought  into  a  still  nearer  and  j 
more  blessed   union   with    his    Lord.      Paul 
might  with  truth  have  said,  to  live  is  Christ,  ' 


and  to  die  is  Christ  also,  for  immediately  after- 
ward he  describes  death  as  being  with  Clirist, 
but  realizing  that  death  brings  a  far  higher 
and  more  perfect  union  between  the  believer 
and  his  Lord,  which  such  a  parallelism  would 
not  suggest,  he  varies  the  phrase,  and  says, 
death  is  gain,  thereby  indicating  the  superi- 
ority of  death  over  life  from  the  standpoint  of 
a  believer's  happiness.  An  ancient  orator  said 
that  when  life  is  burdensome  death  is  a  gain, 
and  Socrates,  in  the  famous  "Apology',"  de- 
clares, that  if  death  should  only  prove  to  be  a 
dreamless  sleep,  it  would  be  a  wonderful  gain  ; 
but  how  far  such  utterances  fall  below  this  in- 
spired declaration  of  the  apostle  1  It  was  not 
impatience  with  life  that  transfigured  and 
glorified  death  in  his  eyes.  He  was  not  simply 
weary  of  life's  burdens  and  anxious  to  lay 
them  down,  he  did  not  welcome  death  as  a 
cessation  of  all  thought  and  feeling,  but  he 
looked  (m  death  as  but  the  door  to  a  new  and 
more  glorious  existence.  Compare  2  Cor.  5  : 
1,  seq. 

32.  As  this  verse  is  very  perplexing,  and 
many  different  interpretations  of  it  have  been 
given,  it  may  help  us  to  an  understanding  of 
its  meaning,  if  we  keep  the  following  points  in 
mind.  But  serves  to  introduce  a  new  consider- 
ation. He  checks  the  flow  of  raptured  thought 
to  suggest  a  consideration  that  makes  him  hesi- 
tate in  his  choice  between  life  and  death.  If 
I  live  in  the  flesh.  The  word  'if  does  not 
in  the  Greek,  as  in  the  English,  sugge.?t  a  kind 
of  uncertainty,  as  if  he  were  questioning  in 
his  own  mind  whether  it  were  so  or  not,  but  it 
comes  nearer  to  our  word  "since";  it  does 
not  put  a  probleinatical  case,  but  a  real  case 
forward;  what  follows  is  the  real  state  of  the 
case.  Compare  the  same  use  of  the  word  in 
Rom.  5  :  17;  6:5.  Hence  he  says,  'since  liv- 
ing in  the  flesh  is  fruit  of  my  work.'  But  in 
order  to  call  attention  emphatically  to  that 
idea  of  earthly  life  in  contradistinction  to  the 
painful  death  of  which  he  had  just  spoken  so 
glowingly,  he  stops  and  repeats  his  thought: 
'since  living  in  the  flesh— since  this  is  for  me 


lOf  the  two  infinitives  the  first  is  present,  and  denotes  the  state  of  living;  the  second  is  aofist  and  marks  the 
moment  of  transition  to  another  world. 


Ch.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


21 


23  For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  de-  I  23  But  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  the  two,  having  the  de- 
sire 10  depart,  and  to  t>e  with  Christ;  which  is  far  sire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ;  lor  it  is  very  I'ar 
belter : 


fruit  of  1113'  \vurk.'  The  words  'in  tlie  flesh' 
are  added  to  the  words  'to  live,'  because  he 
wishes  to  fix  the  attention  upon  the  fact  that 
it  is  the  earthly  life  he  is  speaking  of.  '  Fruit 
of  my  work '  means  fruit  that  comes  from 
work.  For  this  meaning  of  'fruit,'  see  Rom. 
1  :  13.  Fur  'work'  as  designating  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  see  Acts  13  :  2;  1  Thess.  5  : 
13.  Tlie  meaning  then  so  far  is,  since  earthly' 
life  produces  fruit  from  my  apostolic  labors, 
brings  souls  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord. 
Yet — or,  then.  'Then'  introduces  the  apodo- 
sis,  or  conclusion  ;  if  all  this  be  true,  if  life, 
and  life  onl^-,  subserves  my  apostolic  work, 
'then'  comes  the  difficulty  of  choice,  and 
what  I  shall  choose  I  wot  not,  or,  I  cannot 
telL.  '  What ' — that  is,  vj/ilch  of  the  two,  death 
or  life.  'Choose,'  the  Greek  verb,  has  the 
proper  force  of  the  middle  voice,  choose  for 
myself.  The  words  translated  'I  wot  not' 
Meyer  declares  to  mean  '  I  do  not  make 
known,'  and  justifies  this  interpretation  by 
the  fact  that  everywhere  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment this  verb  means  to  make  known,  to  de- 
clare, never  simply  to  know.  The  Revised 
Version  has  placed  this  translation  upon  the 
margin.  The  meaning  of  the  entire  verse  is 
then  :  since  earthly  life  and  that  alone  is  the 
sphere  of  work,  with  its  blessed  fruitage  of 
converted  souls,  I  am  so  uncertain  what  to 
chose,  that  I  lefrain  from  any  decision. 

Paul  was  aware  that  for  himself  death 
was  gain,  and  so  far  as  his  personal  inter- 
ests were  concerned  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
choosing,  but  the  blessed  results  of  living 
cause  hesitation  and  embarrassment.  With 
tlie  two  alternatives  before  him,  and  in  the 
state  of  divided  feeling  thej'  produce,  he 
is  so  perplexed  that  he  refrains  from  any 
choice,  not  knowing  what  is  best,  and  prefer- 
ring to  leiive  it  alj  to  the  divine  disposal.  He 
does  not  make  known  even  to  himself,  as  Bon- 
gel  suggests,  what  lie  would  prefer.  But  the 
claims  of  his  work,  the  needs  of  tlie  church, 
gradually  assert  themselves  and  take  posses- 
sion of  his  mind.  In  such  fruit  as  he  can 
gather  by  living,  there  is  a  gain  that  outweighs 


any  mere  personal  considerations;  and  this 
fact  soon  leads  him  to  declare  his  conviction 
that  he  will  remain  in  the  body,  because  his 
services  are  so  much  needed,  (ver.  25.)  He  is 
willing  to  resign  the  gain  for  the  sake  of  the 
fruit.  "How  hath  he  both  cast  out  the  desire 
of  the  present  life,  and  yet  thrown  no  reproach 
upon  it."     (Chrysostom.) 

23.  In  this  and  the  next  verse,  Paul  ex- 
plains more  fully  the  state  of  uncertainty 
which  he  has  just  described  in  the  words 
'  what  I  shall  choose,'  etc  The  verb  translated 
'  I  am  in  a  strait'  signifies  to  be  hemmed  in  or 
confined;  as  in  Luke  8  :  45,  and  is  generally 
associated  with  the  notion  of  distress,  as  in 
Luke  19  :  43;  especially  in  connection  with 
disease,  as  in  Matt.  4  :  24;  Luke  4  :  38;  Acts 
28  :  8.  Our  Lord  uses  it  also  of  his  own  men- 
tal distress  in  Luke  12  :  50.  The  word  serves 
to  express  forciblj'  the  intensity  of  the  struggle 
in  Paul's  mind.'  The  word  two  refers  back 
to  the  two  alternatives,  life  and  death.  Paul's 
mind  is  so  hemmed  in  between  these  two 
alternatives  that  he  does  not  know  which  way 
to  move.  Most  men  would  have  no  trouble 
in  making  a  quick  choice  between  them.  But 
not  so  Paul ;  and,  in  fact,  if  he  were  to  choose 
for  his  own  pleasure,  it  would  be  to  depart  out 
of  this  world,  that  which  most  men  dread  more 
than  all  the  ills  of  life.  Having  a  desire  to 
depart — or,  rather,  a  desire  ton-ard  depariure. 
He  does  not  exactly  say,  "having  a  desire  to 
depart,'  2  as  in  the  Common  Version,  but  de- 
clares that  his  desire  is  in  that  direction.  The 
verb  is  a  nautical  expression,  to  cast  loose 
from  the  shore,  and  is  also  used  of  striking 
tents  and  breaking  up  a  camp.  We  have  the 
corresponding  noun  in  2  Tim.  4  :  6,  "the  time 
of  my  departure  is  at  hand."  The  verb  is 
found  only  here  and  in  Luke  12  :  36.  And  to 
be  with  Christ.  "'To  depart'  had  always 
been  a  wish  of  the  saints,  but  the  idea  of  being 
with  Christ  belongs  only  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment." (Bengel.)  These  two  ideas  must  be 
closely  connected.  "For  death  of  itself  will 
never  be  desired,  because  such  a  desire  is  at 
variance    with    natural    feeling."      (Calvin.) 


•  The  preposition  «  denotes  the  origin,  the  source,  of  I     ^xhat  would  require  the  genitive  of  the  article  toO 

his  embarrassment.  before  the  infinitive. 


22 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


24  Nevertheless  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  more  needful  i  24  better:    yet  to  abide  in  the  flesli  is   more   need- 


fur  you. 

■Jo  And  liaving  this  confidence,  I  know  that  I  shall 
abide  and  coiitiuue  with  you  all  for  your  furtherance 
and  joy  of  laith  ; 


2.3  ful  for   your  sake.    And   liaviug  ihis  contideuce,  I 
know  that  I  shall   abide,  yea,  and  abide  with  you 


"  Death  is  not  a  good,  but  it  is  a  good  after  our 
departure  to  be  with  Christ."  (Clirysostoin.) 
The  iiiiinediute  connection  of  these  words 
with  'to  depart'  shows  that  Paul  did  not  con- 
ceive the  intermediate  state  to  be  a  condition 
of  unconsciousness,  but  a  far  higher  and  more 
blessed  existence  than  this  earthly  life,  a  state 
of  conscious  and  intimate  communion  with 
Ciirist,  beyond  anything  known  on  earth,  al- 
tliough,  as  we  collect  from  other  passages,  it  is 
not  the  full  and  perfect  fruition  of  a  Chris- 
tian's joy  and  reward.  In  this  intermediate 
state  the  soul  is  bodiless  (acor.  5:8),  and  not 
until  the  resurrection  of  the  body  will  our  re- 
demption be  complete  (R'>m.  sixs) ;  but,  even 
with  this  drawback,  the  state  of  the  Christian 
between  death  and  the  judgment  is  an  advance 
upon  our  earthly  condition.  Which  is  far 
better — literally,  bi/ fa?' more  better,  the  origi- 
nal being  an  emphatic  double  comparative. 
Paul  could  scarcely  have  said  this  about  the 
state  after  death,  unless  he  viewed  it  as  a  con- 
scious, active,  progressive  existence.  Who 
can  believe  that  if  he  had  looked  on  deatli  as 
the  beginning  of  a  long  sleep,  he  would  have 
Jiad  any  such  struggle  to  decide  the  question 
what  to  choose!  With  liis  active,  energetic 
nature,  and  his  intense  desire  to  glorify  bis 
Master,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  instantly 
chosen  life,  with  all  its  ills,  were  death  only  a 
sleep;  but  death,  in  his  view,  will  bring  him 
nearer  to  his  Saviour;  to  die  is  to  be  with 
Christ,  and  this  unspeakable  blessing  renders 
him  more  than  willing  to  go  whenever  the 
word  of  release  shall  be  spoken.  Socrates 
called  death  a  removal  to  another  place 
('"Apologia,"  ?>*2),  but  Paul  .says  it  is  to  be 
with  Christ.  How  much  more  glorious  the 
outlook  of  tlie  Christian  apostle  than  that  of 
the  iieathen  philosopher!  The  apostle  had  a 
positive  and  most  blessed  conception  of  the 
future  world,  but  how  sad,  because  so  uncer- 
tain, the  closing  words  of  the  famous  "Apol- 
ogy": "Now  it  is  time  to  depart — I  to  die, 
you  to  live;  and  which  of  us  is  going  to  the 
better  destiny  is  known  only  to  the  Deity." 

24.  In  the  preceding  verse  Paul  has  stated 
what  he  conceives  to  be  best  for  himself;  now 


he  declares  what  is  more  needful  for  them. 
Instead  of  saying  to  stay  is  better  for  you,  he 
changes  the  form  of  expression,  and  sa^s 
more  needful,  as  if  his  tiist  expression  had 
been  "departure  is  needful  for  me."  His  de- 
parture was  indeed  a  necessity,  in  so  far  as  it 
alone  would  satisfy  his  desire  for  communion 
with  Christ;  but  his  stay  on  earth  is  a  neces- 
sity which  springs  from  the  needs  of  others, 
and  to  this  the  lirst  must  give  way.  "It  is 
more  important  for  me  to  serve  you  than  to 
enjoy  heaven  sooner.  Heaven  will  not  fail 
me."  (Bengel.)  The  verb  signifies  "to  stay 
on,"  stronger  than  the  simple  verb.  (Rom.  is :  i.) 
'In  the  flesh'  Uv  rij  frapxi);  the  article  is  in 
place  as  referring  to  his  own  individual  exist- 
ence, but  above  (22;,  when  he  speaks  of  life  in 
the  body  in  a  general  way,  he  omits  the  article 
(ev  irapKi).  For  you.  Of  coursc,  the  Philip- 
pians  would  understand  that  this  was  not 
meant  to  apply  exclusively'  to  them,  but  in- 
cluded otliers  besides. 

25.  The  knowledge  that  his  stay  on  earth  is 
a  necessity  leads  to  the  firm  conviction  that  he 
is  to  abide  here  yet  a  while.  And  having  this 
confidence;  namely,  that  my  re?naining  is 
needful.  I  know — not  to  be  taken  absolutely, 
but  merely  as  expressing  his  conviction.  In 
his  address  to  the  Ephesian  elders  at  Miletus, 
he  utters  with  equal  assurance  his  conviction 
that  he  shall  see  their  faces  no  more  (Acts  20:25); 
yet  if  the  conviction  here  expressed  of  his 
release  and  return  to  Philippi  was  realized,  he 
probably  did  see  their  faces  again.  See  2  Tim. 
4  :  20.  But  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  to 
harmonize  "such  utterances  with  the  actual 
facts,  for  in  such  matters  Paul  was  left  to  the 
same  means  of  knowledge  as  ourselves.  See 
Acts  20  :  22.  The  verb  "continue  with"  dif- 
fers from  the  simple  verb,  which  means  "to 
remain."  (Herodotus  1.  .30;  Plato,  "Crito" 
51  E;  "Phaedo,"  llo  D.)  For  your  fur- 
therance and  joy  of  faith — the  purpose  of 
his  remaining,  unfolding  the  thought  con- 
tained in  the  words  "more  needful  for  you." 
(ver.24.)  This  IS  a  part  of  that  'fruit'  (^.22), 
for  the  sake  of  which  he  is  willing  to  live. 
The  word  'faith,'  belongs  to  both  'further- 


Cir.  I.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


23 


26  That  your  rejoicing  may  be  more  abuiidaut  iu 
Jesu:>  Christ  lor  uiu  by  my  coming  to  you  ajj::iiu. 

27  Only  let  your  couversaiiou  be  as  it  becumeth  the 
gospel  ul'  Christ:  that  whether  1  come  and  see  you,  or 
else  be  absent,  I  luay  hear  of  your  atfairs,  that  ye  stand 
fust  in  one  spirit,  with  oue  mind  .striving  together  lor 
the  fuilh  of  the  gospel: 


26  all,  for  your  progress  and  joy  '  in  the  faith;  that 
your  glorying  may  abound   in  Christ   Jesus  in  me 

27  through  liiy  ])resenee  wiiti  you  again.  Only  -let. 
yiiurmannJr  of  liie  be  worthy  of  the  gospel  of  Chri^t; 
that,  whether  I  come  and  see  you  or  am  absent,  I 
may  hear  of  your  stale,  that  ye  siand  fast  in  one 
spirit,  with  oue  soul  striving  3 fur  the  faith  of  the 


1  Or,  of  faith. .....i  Or.  behave  a*  citizen*  teorthiln 3  Gr.  with. 


anee'  and  'joy';  their  'faith'  has  in  it  ele- 
ments both  of  progress  and  joy,  which  liis 
presence  among  them  will  promote. 

26.  This  verse  contains  a  still  further  ex- 
pansion of  the  thought  'more  needful  lor  you' 
(ver. 2*),  bringing  out  still  more  clearly  the 
purpose  of  his  remaining.  Rejoicing.  The 
wi»rd  means,  properly,  "  matter  of  boasting" 
((toOx>)/ia),  not  act  of  boasting  or  glorying  (<cau- 
X'jo'itJ,  as  in  Rom.  4:2,  "  whereof  to  glory." 
See  1  Cor.  9  :  15;  2  Cor.  1  :  14.  This  matter 
of  boasting  is  the  possession  of  the  gospel,  and  i 
their  state  as  Christians.  Hence,  the  idea  is  ] 
that  they  may  obtain  a  larger  and  richer 
increase  of  that  which  is  their  true  glory  and 
boast,  tiie  possession  of  the  gospel  and  of  the 
privileges  of  the  Christian  life.  In  Christ 
Je.sus  for  me — better,  iw  me,  as  in  Revised 
Version.  The  parallelism  'in  Christ,  in  me' 
is  .suggestive.  They  can  obtain  this  increa.se 
only  in  Christ  primarily,  although  it  is  to  be 
in  Paul,  secondarily,  bj'  means  of  his  renewed 
activity  among  them.  By  his  coming  again 
to  them  he  would  impart  to  them  an  increased 
measure  of  that  whereof  they  boasted,  but  he 
w'ould  do  this  in  the  strength  of  Christ,  so  that 
to  him  must  the  glory  of  the  work  be  ascribed. 

In  these  last  six  verses  Paul  reveals  some  of 
the  deepest  and  holiest  aspirations  of  his  soul, 
and  surely  nothing  gives  us  a  higher  idea  of 
his  character  than  to  behold  him  perplexed 
and  uncertain  on  such  a  question,  whether  it 
were  better  to  die  and  go  to  be  with  Christ,  or 
to  live  and  labor  on  awhile  longer  for  the 
sake  of  increasing  that  fruit  of  his  labors 
which  he  had  already  gathered  so  abundantly. 
It  i.s  only  a  superior  spirit  that  could  hesitate 
to  choose  between  life  and  death  ;  but  even  in 
this  hesitation  not  a  trace  of  self  appears.  If 
be  think*  of  death,  it  is  of  Christ  he  thinks; 
if  he  thinks  of  life,  it  is  of  his  work  he  thinks; 


but  in  either  ca.se  the  thought  of  self  is  wholly 
forgotten. 

1:27-2:11.  Exhortation  to  L'xity, 
Humility,  and  Unselfishnkss  Enforckd 
BY  AN  Appeal  to  the  Example  of  Christ. 
— The  apostle  urges  them  to  be  steadfast  and 
united,  like  a  band  of  Christian  athletes  (27); 
and  to  face  their  enemies  with  perfect  fear- 
lessness (28),  remembering  their  high  calling 
(29),  and  his  own  similar  experiences  (30). 

27.  Only — this  is  all  I  ask.  Compare  Gal. 
2  :  10;  5  :  13.  This  exhortation  to  act  worthily 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ  involves  all  the  obli- 
gations of  the  Christian  life.  Comjiarc  Eph. 
4  :  1,  seq.  Let  your  conversation — bctier, 
tna^iner  of  life  (Revised  Version).  The  verb 
niean-s  prim:irily,  to  |)erforin  the  duties  of  a 
citizen  ;  so  that  the  literal  transhition  would 
be  that  of  the  margin  of  the  Revised  Version, 
"Only  behave  as  citizens  worthily  of  the  gos- 
pel." Paul,  however,  has  no  reference  to  the 
political  duties  of  the  Philippians,  but  to  their 
religious  duties  as  members  of  tlie  great  com- 
monwealth of  heaven.  His  ordinary  word 
for  Chri.f.tian  conduct  is  'walk,'  but  here  he 
changes  the  figure  to  indicate  more  clearly 
the  idea  of  those  mutual  duties  which  they 
owe  each  other  as  members  of  the  heavenly 
commonwealth.  He  uses  the  corresponding 
noun  in  3  :  20,  and  the  verb  in  his  speech  be- 
fore the  Sanhedrim  (ActsMii),  but  not  else- 
where. That  whether  I  come,'  etc.  Paul's 
uncertainty  as  to  the  ftiture  emerges  here 
again.  He  knows  not  certainly  whether  he 
shall  come  and  see  them  or  not,  but  hope  evi- 
dentlj'^  predominates,  as  is  hinted  tit  in  the 
order  of  the  two  alternatives— come  and  see 
you,  or  else  be  absent. 

I  may  hear  that  ye  stand  last.  The  verb 
does  not  itself  signify  to  stand  fast,  but 
simply   to  stand,    the    idea    of  steadfastness 


'  The  structure  of  the  sentence  in  the  Creek  is  intel-  I  absent  and  hearing,  I  may  know  of  your  state";  but 
ligible,  hut  inexact,  a.s  if  the  writer  had  begun  in  oni;  before  he  finishes  he  changes  the  oonstruftion,  as  if  he 
way  and  finished  in  another.  He  1)egins  as  if  he  were  ^  had  already  wrilten,  "  whether  coming  I  may  .see,"  and 
about  to  say,  "  whether  coming  and  seeing,  or  being    therefore  ends,  "  or  being  abseut  I  may  hear." 


24 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


2S  And  in  nothing  terrified  by  your  adversaiies : 
■whicli  is  to  tlieiu  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  to 
you  of  salvation,  and  that  of  (jod. 

29  For  unto  you  it  is  uiven  in  the  behalf  of  Christ, 
not  only  to  believe  on  him,bul  also  to  sutler  for  his  sake  ; 


28  gospel;  and  In  nothing  affrighted  by  the  adver- 
saries: which  is  for  tlieni  an  evident  token  of 
perdition,  but  of  your  salvation,  and  that  from  tiod; 

29  because  to  yon  it  halli  been  granted  in  ihe  behalf  of 
Christ,  not  only  to  believe  ou  him,  but  ylso  to  suiler 


coming  from  the  context.  In  one  spirit, 
with  one  mind  (or,  soul).  The  first  refers 
to  the  higlier  part  of  our  immaterial  nature, 
that  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  resides  and 
works ;  the  second  refers  to  the  lower  part, 
tiie  seat  of  the  emotions  and  affections.  The 
Philippians  are  exiiorted  to  be  united  in  their 
'  spirit,'  in  their  holiest  tispirutions  and  con- 
victions, and  in  their  'soul,'  their  affections, 
tmd  S3-mpathies.  Of  course,  this  can  only  be 
affected  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  words  "with 
one  soul"'  are  connected  with  tiie  following. 
Striving  together.  A  metaphor  from  the 
atiiletic  games.  That  which  they  are  to  co- 
operate for  is  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  Tiie 
absence  of  the  connecting  article  blends  these 
two  words  into  a  single  idea,  gospel  faith  ;  that 
is,  the  substance  of  tlie  apostolic  teaching. 
Compare  Jude  3.  This  faitii  of  the  gospel  is 
the  one  thing  they  must  most  jealously  guard 
and  defend. 

3tS.  Ill  nothing  terrified  by  your  adver- 
saries. It  is  not  enough  to  be  united  in 
spirit,  but  they  must  exhibit  an  unflinching 
courage.  The  original  word  for  'terrified,' 
found  only  here  in  the  New  Testament,  is 
very  strong,  describing,. primarily,  the  terror 
of  a  fi'igiitened  animal.  '  Adversaries.'  As 
tliese  were  well  known  to  his  readers,  the 
apostle  does  not  describe  them,  so  that  we  are 
in  the  dark  about  them  ;  but  as  their  hostility 
was  similar  to  that  from  which  Paul  himself 
suffered  at  Philippi  (ver.  so),  it  is  probably  some 
outbreak  of  the  heathen  populace  to  which  he 
has  reference.  But  however  numerous  or  pow- 
erful their  adversaries  are,  the  Philippians 
ought  to  face  tiiein  fearlessly.  All  these  ene- 
mies ciin  do  is  to  scare  them,  and  the  Philip- 
pians ought  not  to  let  them  succeed  even  in 
this.  "He  that  feareth  God  need  fear  none 
else."    Which  * — that  is,  your  fearlessness,  re- 


ferring back  not  to  any  single  word,  but  to 
the  idea  suggested  by  the  previous  admoni- 
tion.     An    evident    token    of    perdition. 

Their  courage  becomes  a  proof  of  their  ene- 
mies' destruction,  by  clearly  revealing  the 
divine  source  of  their  own  superior  strength. 
These  Cliristians  are  shown  to  be  helped  of 
God  by  the  wonderful  bravery  they  display. 
Their  enemies  are,  therefore,  fighting  against 
God,  and  nothing  but  destructiDU  awaits  them. 
The  cowardice  of  the  Piiilippians  would,  on 
the  contrary,  bring  the  gospel  into  contempt 
and  confirm  opposers  in  their  hardness  and 
blindness  of  heart.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
this  fearlessness  is  to  you  a  token  of  salvation 
for  the  same  reason  tiiat  it  is  a  token  of  the 
'perdition'  of  their  foes,  because  it  reveals 
God's  presence  and  power.  Compare  2  Thess. 
1  :  4,  seq.,  where  the  faith  and  ))atience  of  the 
Thessalonians  are  described  as  a  proof  of  the 
righteous  judgmentof  God,  the  result  (if  which 
would  be  their  salvaticm.  And  that  of  God. 
This  fearlessness,  which  is  a  token  both  of 
their  own  salvation  and  of  their  enemies'  de- 
struction, is  from  God;  it  is  not  a  natural 
characteristic,  but  a  divine  omen  of  victorj'. 
Calvin  beautifully  suggests  that  the-se  words 
were  added,  "that  the  taste  of  the  grace  of 
GikI  may  allay  the  titterness  of  the  cross." 

29.  This  verse  confirms  the  last  words  of 
the  preceding  verse,  'and  that  of  God.' 
For  unto  you  it  is  given — literally,  gronted 
OS  a  fnvor ;  that  is,  by  God.  It  is  a  proof 
of  the  divine  fjivor  that  you  are  called  into 
trials  where  such  fearlessness  is  required. 
Compare  Acts  5  :  4.  'Unto  you  '  is  emjihatic 
by  position.  God  has  conferred  upon  you  this 
privilege,  as  he  has  not  upon  all  other  believ- 
ers. '  Is  given  ' — strictly,  was  given,  referring 
to  the  time  wiien  their  Christian  life  began. 
In  the  behalf  of  Christ.^    It  is  not  an  ab- 


^  Since  it  is  is  the  proper  force  of  the  pronoun  >iTt?. 
It  refers  logically  to  the  whole  clause,  but  agrees  gram- 
matically with  its  predicate  by  a  common  attraction. 
(Winer,  p.  lf.6.     Compire  Eph.  3  :  i:!.) 

-\W(i  have  here  again,  in  the  Greek,  a  slightly  irreg- 
ular sentence.  Paul  began  the  sentence  as  if  he  were 
about  to  write,  "for  to  you  it  was  given  in  behalf  of 
Christ  to  suffer";  but  before  he  added  the  words  "to 


suffer"  be  bethinks  him  of  the  necessary  antecedent  of 
all  sacrifice  "faith,"  and  therefore  be  proceeds  '-not 
only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  sutler  for  his  sake  "• 
so  that  the  jihrase  "  in  behalf  of  Christ,"  which  he  had 
written  with  the  first  form  of  the  sentence  in  mind,  is 
in  part  superfluous.  To  make  the  .sentence  perfectly 
regular  we  should  have  to  strike  it  out,  and  put  Christ 
in  place  of  "  him  "  in  the  next  clause. 


Ch.  IL] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


25 


30  Having  the  same  conflict  wliich  ye  saw  in  me,  and  j  30  in  his  behalf:  having  tlio  same  conflict  which  ye  saw 
now  hear  to  be  in  me.  I       in  me,  and  now  hear  to  be  in  me. 

CHAPTER  IT. 

IF  lliere  be  therefore  any  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  I    1      If  there  is  therefore  any  exhortation  in  Christ,  if 
comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if         any   consolation   of   love,  if   any  fellowship  ot  llie 
any  bowels  and  mercies,   "  I 


strac't  truth,  in  wliich  they  believe  and  for 
which  they  suiter,  but  the  personal  Christ. 
On  him  they  believe,  for  liim  they  suffer. 
Suffering  for  Christ  Paul  declares  to  be  a 
special  grace,  because,  when  rightly  endured, 
it  works  out  the  believer's  sanctification.  (Rom. 
5:3,  seq-)  Paul  looks  be3'ond  the  malice  of 
enemies,  and  beholds  in  their  efforts  the  divine 
favor  toward  his  suffering  ]>eople.  He  writes 
out  of  his  own  experience,  when  he  speaks  of 
the  double  grace  of  believing  and  suffering 
(see  2  Cor.  11  :  23,  seq.);  and  hence,  words 
that  from  almost  any  other  lips  might  have 
seemed  bitter  irony,  became  freighted  with 
the  strength  and  comfort  that  only  likeness  of 
experience  can  impart. 

30.  The  experience  of  the  Philippians  is 
expressly  compared  with  his  own.  A  part  of 
this  experience  they  had  only  heard  of  in  his 
letters;  but  a  part  of  it  had  passed  under 
their  very  e3n'S,  when,  on  his  first  visit  to 
Philippi,  he  was  scourged  and  cast  into  prison, 
and  his  feet  confined  in  the  stocks.  The  indig- 
nity of  this  treatment  Paul  seems  never  to 
have  forgotten.  He  speaks  with  intense  in- 
dignation about  it  in  his  First  Epistle  to  the 
Thessalonians.  (i  ■■  2)  Compare,  also,  Acts 
16  :  16,  seq.,  where  Luke's  language  seems  to 
reflect  the  apostle's  deep  and  intense  feelings. 
It  is  probable  that  in  sf)me  similar  outbreak  of 
heathen  violence,  the  Philippians  had  them- 
selves suffered  in  a  like  manner,  and  Paul 
.teems  to  refer  to  such  an  experience  in  2  Cor. 
8  :  2,  where  he  speaks  of  the  churches  of  Mace- 
donia having  had  a  "great  trial  (proof )  of 
affliction.''  What  delicacy  of  feeling  the 
apostle  shows  in  thus  comparing  the  Philip- 
pians with  himself,  and  how  naturally  the 
comparison  would  stimulate  them  to  exhibit 
the  same  spirit  of  patience,  courage,  and  cheer- 
fulness which  they  had  beheld  in  him  !  Ben- 
gel,  on  the  words  "in  me,"  adds  the  comment, 
beautifully  suggestive  of  their  implied  signifi- 
cance, "in  me  who  am  not  terrified."  The 
unwritten  admonition   to  copy  his  example. 


suggested   by   the    twice-repeated    "in   me," 
could  not  fail  to  speak  directly  to  their  hearts. 


Ch.  2.  Continuation  of  the  Exhorta- 
tion which  Extends  from  1  :  27-2:  11.— The 
apostle  returns  from  the  slight  digression  in 
1  :  28-30  to  thetoi)ic  of  the  unity  of  the  Phil- 
ippiansj  which  he  urges  in  a  most  tender  and 
persuasive  manner  (1,  2),  joining  with  the 
plea  for  unity  an  appeal  also  for  humility 
(3)  and  unselfishness  (4),  and  enforcing  his 
whole  admonition  by  a  noble  and  eloquent 
description  of  the  exam])le  of  Jesus  Christ 
(5-11). 

1.  If  there  be  therefore  anyconsolation 
(better,  exiiortntloii)  in  Christ.  'If  there 
be'  implies  no  doubt  of  the  existence  of  the 
following  motives,  but  is  simply  a  tender  form 
of  appeal  to  whiit  is  well  known  to  exi.st.  The 
word  translated  '  consolation  '  in  the  Common 
Version  has  the  general  signification  of  "en- 
couragement," "exhortation,"  though  it  is 
sometimes  used  in  the  more  limited  sense  of 
"comfort,"  "consolation."  Here  the  context 
decides  for  the  wider  meaning,  since  the  next 
word  conveys  specifically  the  idea  of  consola- 
tion. Compare  1  Cor.  14 :  3.  For  the  corre- 
sponding verbs  similarly  joined  together, 
compiire  1  Thess.  2:11.  This  'exhortation' 
is  in  Christ;  that  is,  it  is  Christian  cxliorta- 
tion,  a  practical  manifestation  of  tlie  life  that 
flows  from  Christ.  If  any  comfort  of  love- 
comfort  which  springs  from  love  as  its  source. 
Compare  2  Cor.  1  :  3-7  for  a  beautiful  illustra- 
tion of  this  comfort  of  love.  If  any  fellow- 
ship of  the  Spirit— participation  in  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  the  Spirit,  the  basis  of  all  true 
unity.  Compare  2  Cor.  13  :  14.  If  any 
bowels  and  mercies — any  tender  and  affec- 
lionate  yearnings  and  compassions.  The  two 
words  are  sometimes  joined  into  a  single  idea, 
'bowels  of  mercies,'  as  in  Col.  3:  12;  and  in 
Hebrew  a  single  word  (D*pn^)  combines  the 
meanings  of  both,  kindness,  aftection  {anXiy- 


26 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


2  Fulfil  ye  my  joy  that  ye  be  likeuiinded,  having 
the  same  love,  btiny  of  wiie  acuord,  of  one  miud. 

b  Lul  nothing  6«  doue  through  strife  or  vainglory; 
but  in  lowliness  of  miud  let  each  esteem  other  better 
than  themselves. 


2  Spirit,  if  any  tender  mercies  and  compassions,  fulfil 
ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be  of  the  same  miud,  having 
tlie  same  love,  being  of  one  accord,  i  of  oue  mind; 

3  dudiij  nothing  through  facliun  or  through  vain- 
glory, but  in  lowliness  of  mind  each  counting  other 


1  Some  uiicieut  authorities  read  o/  the  same  mind. 


xva.,  olKTipixoi)^  and  pity,  compassion.  This  kind 
and  compassionate  affection  springs  from  the 
'  fellowshii)  of  the  Spirit,'  while  the  'exhor- 
tation in  Christ '  produces  'comfort  of  love.' 
Thus  we  have  in  the  fourfold  division  of  this 
verse  a  reference  to  unity  with  Christ,  and  the 
spiritual  result,  and  also  to  unity  with  the 
Spirit,  and  its  spiritual  result.  These  consid- 
eratiinis  are  so  many  arguments  why  the  Phil- 
ippians  should  hasten  to  complete  his  happi- 
ness b^'  a  perfect  exhibition  of  unity.  The 
language  of  his  ajjpeal  is  made  unusually 
tender  and  impressive  by  the  fourfold  repeti- 
tion of  tlie  words  'if  any.'  "Persuasion  her- 
self could  not  speak  more  persuasively." 

2.  Fulfil  ye  my  joy.  Compare  John  3  :  29. 
Already  the  apostle  had  joy  in  the  state  of  the 
Philippian  Cliurch,  but  he  wished  that  joy 
made  full,  complete,  by  their  perfect  unani- 
mity of  spirit.  This  unanimity  he  describes 
by  several  phrases  which  vary  but  slightly 
from  each  other.  They  are  to  be  likeminded 
— that  is,  to  think  the  same  thing,  to  have  the 
same  love — and  finally,  to  be  of  one  accord, 
of  one  mind — with  perfect  unity  of  soul  to 
think  one  thing.  The  first  and  last  of  these 
tiiree  expressions  do  not  differ  essentially. 
In  Greek,  as  in  English,  both  are  sometimes 
joined  together,  "one  and  the  same  thing." 
But  that  which  adds  a  new  suggestion  to 
the  last  clause  is  rather  the  word  translated 
in  Common  Version  and  Revised  Version 
'being  of  one  accord'  (<ri>fii^uxoO-  This  word 
should  be  closely  connected  with  what  fol- 
lows, and  the  whole  translated :  having  the 
same  love,  with  harmony  of  soul,  thinking 
one  thing.  They  should  not  merely  direct 
their  minds  to  the  same  thoughts,  but  should 
do  this  in  complete  harmony.  They  might 
think  aboutthesame  thing  only  to  contend  and 


dispute,  but  Paul  wishes  them  to  think  harmo- 
niously about  it,  to  dwell  upon  that  view  of  it 
on  which  they  are  agreed,  and  if  there  should 
be  any  diversity  of  opinion,  to  wait,  as  he 
afterwjird  enjoins  them  (3:ia),  for  God's  fuller 
revelations  to  decide  the  case.  The  second  of 
the  three  clauses  adds  to  the  duty  of  like- 
mindedness  that  of  mutual  love,  for  as  Chr^-- 
sostom  says:  "There  is  such  a  thing  as  being 
likeminded,  and  yet  not  having  love."  Their 
oneness  must  be  of  heart  and  mind  both. 

3.  Let  nothing  be  done  through  strife 
or  vainglory.  Instead  of  supplying  the  verb 
'let,'  as  in  the  Common  Version,  it  is  better 
to  carry  forward  the  participle  from  tiie  last 
verse,  thinking  nothi,ng  in  the  way  of  strife  or 
of  vain  glory.  (Winer,  p.  587. J  The  word 
'strife '  has  appeared  already  (i :  is) ;  the  second 
word  'vainglory'  does  not  occur  elsewhere 
in  the  New  Testament,  though  in  Gal.  5  :  26 
we  have  the  adjective  'vainglorious.'  See  Re- 
vised Version.  These  two,  strife  and  the  spirit 
of  displaj',  destroy  unity  in  the  church.  "For 
both  diseases  he  brings  forward  one  remedy — 
humility."  (Calvin.)  But  in  lowliness  of 
mind.  According  to  Greek  usage  the  names 
of  the  various  virtues  have  the  article.  Hence, 
'lowliness'  has  the  article  in  the  Greek,  sig- 
nifying the  virtue  of  hwnllity.  The  Greek 
word  for  '  lowliness'  is  one  of  the  words  which 
Christianity  has  coined.  The  nearest  classical 
Greek  word  signifies  "meanness  of  spirit." 
To  think  lightly  of  one's  self  was  never  a  vir- 
tue in  the  eyes  of  a  Greek.  It  was  only  justi- 
fiable, as  Aristotle  says,  when  one  had  no 
reason  for  thinking  otherwise.  That  any  one 
of  great  powers  should  be  "  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart"  never  suggested  itself  to  the  Greek 
as  possible.  In  fact,  his  supreme  virtue  was 
high-mindedness,  or,  as  Aristotle  puts  it,  "the 


1  We  must  call  attention  to  the  curious  ungramniati- 
cal  use  of  Tit  before  the  two  nouns  trnKayxva  and  oiicTip- 
f-oi.  The  manuscript  evidence  is  entirely  in  favor 
of  this  reading,  but  on  account  of  its  ungramniatieal 
characlermost  commentators  have  preferred  thereadiiig 
Tii'a.  There  seems,  however,  no  reason  why,if  rti'a  were 
the  original  reading,  it  should  ever  have  been  chi^nged, 
while  it  would  have  been  perfectly  uatural  for  some 


copyist  to  alter  the  strange  and  anomalous  th.  Tiscb- 
endorf  says  wo  must  preserve  the  reading  ti?,  unless 
we  prefer  to  act  as  grammarians  rather  than  as  editors. 
Alford's  explanation  of  its  use  seems  plausilile,  that  as 
the  two  (ireek  nouns  represent  a  single  Hebrew  noun 
D'pn'^,  they  were  regarded  as  expressing  but  a  single 
idea,  and  the  singular  pronoun  was  used  instead  of  the 
plural. 


Ch.  IL] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


27 


4  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every 
man  also  on  ihe  things  of  others. 

o  l^ti  this  wind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesii.s : 

li  Who,  being  in  tlie  form  of  God,  thought  it  not 
r  jbbery  lo  bu  emial  with  Uod  : 


4  better  than  himself;  not  looking  each  of  you  to  his 
own   things,  bin  each  of  you  also  to  the  things  of 

5  others.     lia%e  tliis  mind  in   you,  wliich  was  also  iu 
ti  Clirist  JesUs:    wlio  existing  iu    the   form   of   God, 

counted   not  the  being  on  an  equality  with  Uod  a 


deeming  oneself  worthy  of  greatness,  because 
wortliy."  And  Heine  reveals  this  same  in- 
stinct of  human  nature  in  modern  times  when 
he  speaks  contemptuously  of  the  "dog's  vir- 
tue of  humility."'  Tlie  New  Testament  writers 
had  tlierefore  t'j  coin  a  word  for  this  Christian 
grace  of  humility. 

Let  each  esteem  others  better  than 
themselves.  "Thtit  nitty  be  done  not  only 
outwiifdly,  but  V)y  true  humility,  when  a  man, 
tlirough  seld-denial,  turns  his  eyes  away  from 
liisown  privilege's,  and  steadily  contemplates 
another's  endowments  in  which  he  is  super- 
ior." (Bengel.)  Compare  Kom.  12:  10;  Eph. 
5  :  21 ;  1  Peter  5  :  5. 

4.  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things, 
but  every  man  also,  etc.  In  the  Greek  there 
is  no  period  at  the  close  of  ver.  3,  but  the  sen- 
tence continues,  and  is  properly  translated  in 
the  Kevised  Version  "not  looking."  These 
words  contain  a  warning  against  selfishness, 
following  appropriately  on  the  exhortation  to 
'lowliness,'  for  pride  and  selfishness  grow  out 
of  the  same  root.  In  the  second  clause  the 
word  'also'  modifies  the  e.xclusiveness  of  the 
first  assertion,  suggesting  that  some  considera- 
tion of  one's  own  things  must  be  allowed. 
The  apostle  had  first  said,  'look  not  upon 
his  own  things,'  but  by  this  word  'also'  he 
softens  his  extreme  injunction,  and  allows 
their  own  things  some  regard.  "Without  such  a 
modification  his  injunction  would  hsive  passed 
beyond  reasonable  limits.  (AViner,  p.  498.)' 
The  words  of  the  apostle  (ver.  2-4)  seem  to  inti- 
mate that  there  were  those  in  the  Philippian 
Church  who  were  lacking  in  the  graces  of 
humility  and  unselfishness.  They  overesti- 
mated their  own  services  and  excellencies, 
and  dejircciated  their  brethren.  No  division 
in  doctrine  is  here  suggested,  but  the  danger 
— it  is  perhaps  nothing  more — of  a  possible 
estrangement  of  hetirt  and  the  disruption  of 
their  previotis  good  fellowship  through  this 
excess  of  pride  on  the  part  of  some. 

5-11.  Tlie  apostle  now  enforces  bis  admoni- 
tion to  unity,  humility,  and  unselfishness,  by 


the  example  of  Jesus  Christ  (5),  who  did  not 
regard  his  own  prerogatives  or  position  (6), 
but  sacrificed  them  for  the  sake  of  others  (7), 
yea,  went  to  the  very  depths  of  humiliation 
and  shame  (8),  on  which  account  God  the 
Father  htis  most  highly  exalted  him  (9),  that 
the  whole  cretition  may  recognize  his  glory 
(10),  and  own  his  rule  (11). 

This  passage,  the  only  doctrinal  one  in  our 
Epistle,  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  all 
Paul's  writings,  tiiid  the  most  complete  state- 
ment of  Christ's  exalted  rank  to  be  found  any- 
where outside  of  the  Gospel  of  John.  Its  im- 
portance justifies  and  requires  a  more  extended 
exitniiiiiition. 

5.  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  (or,  tit'mk  ye 
this  in  yoitrselves) — that  is,  in  your  hearts. 
I  Comi>are  Matt.  9:  3,  4.  Whicli  was  also  in 
I  Christ  Jesus  —  literally,  which  was  also 
I  thought  in  Christ  Jesus.  'Also'  refers  to  the 
I  .similaritj'  of  disposition  between  Christ  and 
j  his  followers:  in  you  as  also  in  Christ.  The 
name  Christ  Jesus  refers  to  the  Saviour  in  his 
I  entire  existence,  pre-incarnate  and  incarnsite, 
!  not  that  he  was  ever  known  by  this  name  until 
1  born  in  the  flesh,  but  Paul  could  describe  him 
I  in  no  other  way  so  clearlj'  as  by  this  well- 
j  known  historical  name.  The  context  .shows 
i  that  the  apostle  includes  Christ's  entire  exist- 
ence under  this  name,  and  not  merely  his 
!  earthly  life,  as  some  have  supposed,  for  ver.  6 
i  evidently  refers  to  bis  pre-incarnate  state,  and 
!  the  iiicarnate  state  is  not  touched  upon  till 
I  ver.  7.  John  used  the  word  Logos  to  describe 
the  Saviour  previous  to  his  earthly  life,  but 
1  Paul  has  nowhere  used  that  word. 
I  6.  Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God.  '  Be- 
j  ing'  is  not  the  participle  of  the  substantive  verb 
j  to  be,  but  comes  from  a  stronger  verb  and 
means  subsisting,  e.risting.  '  Form  '  (iio(4>n)  is 
[  not  the  same  as  nature  (*«<««  ovaia),  but  desig- 
nates in  man  his  external  appearance;  hence 
I  in  the  Divine  Being  it  must  describe  witatcor- 
!  responds  to  our  external  appearance,  that 
;  through  which  the  divine  presence  manifests 
I  itself.     God,  who  is  a  Spirit,  reveals  him.self 


iThe  plural,  eVcaaTot,  is  found  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament. 


28 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IL 


in  his  glory,  which  the  apostle  here  calls  ap- 
propriately the  '  form  of  God.'  The  '  form  of 
God'  is  not  therefore  the  Godhead,  although 
as  Bengel  well  observes,  "He  who  existed  in 
tlie  'form  of  God,'  is  God."  Paul  is  led  to 
use  this  word,  because  he  is  thinking  of  what 
Christ  laid  aside.  Christ  did  not  and  could 
not  lay  aside  his  Godhead,  but  he  did  lay  aside 
his  divine  glory,  or  form.  Compare  Col.  1  : 
15,  "image,'  and  Heb.  1:3,  "  express  image." 
Thought  it  not  robbery.  The  word  trans- 
lated 'robbery'  in  the  Common  Version,  and 
'a  prize'  in  the  Revised  Version,  is  the  chief 
stumbling  block  in  tlie  interpretation  of 
this  passage,  and  the  explanation  hinges 
mainly  upon  the  meaning  we  give  this 
one  word.  It  is  a  very  rare  word  in  the 
Greek  language,  occurring  but  once  in  pro- 
fane literature,  and  not  more  than  two  or  three 
times  in  ecclesiastical  literature,  and  there 
probably  as  an  echo  of  this  pa.ssage.  The  de- 
termination of  its  meaning  is  therefore  very 
difficult.  According  to  grammatical  usage, 
by  its  termination,  it  denotes  an  action,  that 
is,  the  act  of  seiziiig,  or  seizure.  Nouns  of  the 
same  termination  very  often,  however,  are 
used  to  express  the  result  of  an  action,  instead  j 
of  the  action  itself  In  determining,  therefore,  I 
the  meaning  of  any  single  word  its  form  is  i 
not  decisive.  Usage  alone  can  decide.  When 
usage  fails  to  clear  up  the  meaning,  the  con- 
text of  the  passage  must  be  the  last  resort.  If 
in  this  case  we  turn  to  u.sage,  the  evidence  is 
of  course  very  slight,  but  what  there  is  sus- 
tains tile  meaning  suggested  by  the  termina- 
tion of  the  word.  Plutarch,  in  his  "Morals," 
uses  the  word  of  the  custom  of  seizing  or  kid- 
napi)ing  children  from  Crete.  Interpreters 
have  generally,  however,  given  the  passive 
meaning  to  this  word  on  the  ground  that  nouns 
with  a  termination,  such  as  generally  denote 
an  action,  are  often  used  like  tho.se  with  the 
termination  that  denote  a  result.  This  is  un- 
doubtedly often  the  case,  as  noted  above,  but 
we  have  no  right  to  assume  that  a^iy  noun  of 
the  former  class  may  be  so  used,  but  must  fur- 
nish ineoate.st;ible  evidence  of  some  example 
of  such  usage,  before  we  are  justified  in  neg- 
lecting the  obvious  significance  for  a  less 
natural  one,  especially  if  the  obvious  meaning 
suits  the  context  just  as  well.  Now  there  is 
no  occasion  from  the  context  to  alter  that  sig- 
ixilicajice  of  this  word,   which  we  obtain'  by 


observing  its  form  and  Plutarch's  use  of  it. 
Christ,  for  instance,  did  not  consider  his  equal- 
ity with  God  a  robbery  or  seizure,  that  is,  he 
did  nt)tvi(;w  his  exalted  position  as  a  means  of 
seizing  to  himself  the  glory  and  the  exaltation 
which  he  afterward  acquired.  Compare  1  Tim. 
6  :  5,  where  Paul  speaks  of  certain  ones  who 
supposed  godliness  to  be  gain,  that  is,  evi- 
dently' a  means  of  gain.  So  Christ  might  have 
regarded  his  Godhead  as  a  means  of  appropri- 
ating the  glory  he  now  wears.  He  might  have 
come  to  earth  in  all  the  splendor  of  Deity,  to 
win  the  homage  of  human  hearts.  But,  in- 
stead of  that,  he  looked  not  on  his  own  things 
— he  laid  aside  his  divine  glory,  and  appeared 
in  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  in  the  way  of 
humiliiition  and  self-denial  reached  his  present 
eleviition.  Thus  the  context  admits  this  mean- 
ing of  the  wt)rd,  and  if  that  be  so,  there  can  be 
no  just  reason  for  assuming  an  unusual  signifi- 
cation for  which  no  example  has  been  cited. 

.  We  must,  however,  admit  that  this  interpre- 
tation has  few  advocates.  Meyer  proposed  it, 
and  has  been  followed  by  Alford  alone  outside 
of  Germany,  and  by  but  very  few  German 
scholars.  The  generally  accepted  interpreta- 
tion gives  to  this  word  the  passive  meaning  of 
"things  seized."  Those  who  assign  this  mean- 
ing reach  in  general  tlie  same  result  as  that 
proposed  above,  but  naturally'  and  logically 
their  interpretation  brings  forth  a  Socinian 
view  of  the  passage.  For  if  we  adopt  tlie  pas- 
sive meaning  of  the  word,  then  we  are  taught 
that  Christ  did  not  think  equality  with  God  a 
thing  to  be  seized,  hence  of  course  equality 
with  God  was  not  already  his  own.  To  obviate 
this  difficulty,  the  exact  meaning  of  "things 
seized"  is  changed  to  "  things  retained  or  held 
fast,"  and  so  the  same  result  is  reached  as  in 
our  interpretation,  but  by  making  two  arbi- 
trary changes  in  the  significance  of  the  word. 
The  shade  given  b^'  the  words  'thought  not' 
should  not  be  overlooked.  Paul  miglit  have 
said:  He  did  not  make  equality  with  God  a 
robbery,  but  he  added  the  words  above  quoted 
to  indicate  that  he  did  not  for  one  moment 
even  contemplate  the  possibility  of  such  a 
thing,  much  less  attempt  to  put  it  into  execu- 
tion. These  words,  therefore,  answer  to  the 
'look  not'  of  ver.  4.  The  Philippians  are 
enjoined  to  renounce  the  selfish  consideration 
of  their  own  rights,  prerogatives,  claims,  etc., 
and  to  enforce  this,  they  are  told  that  Christ 


Ch.  II.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


29 


7  But  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon 
liim  the  form  of  u  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likenusst 
of  men  : 

»  And  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  lie  liumbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  deatli,  even  the  deal  li 
of  the  cross. 


7  tiling  to  be  grasped,  but  emplie<l  himself,  taking  the 
ionu  of  a  '  servant, -being  made  in  the  likene^s  of 

8  men  ;  and  being  found  in  lashion  as  a  man,  he  bum- 
bled  himself,  becoming  obedient  even   unto  death, 


1  Or,  bondservant 2  Gr.  becoming  in. 


allowed  no  thought  of  the  selfish  use  of  his 
position  to  enter  his  mind.' 

To  be  equal  with  God.  This  is  not  essen- 
tially different  ffom  'heing  in  the  form  of 
God,'  but  describes  the  same  idea  from  another 
side.  It  describes  Ciirist's  existence  as  an  ex- 
isting in  an  equal  way  with  God.  The  adverb 
equal  (lo-a),  not  the  noun  (i<^os),  is  used.  AVith 
the  latter  Christ's  equality  of  essence  would 
have  been  referred  to,  but  there  is  a  singular 
propriety  in  the  use  of  the  adverb  instead  of 
the  noun,  because  it  was  not  his  equal  nature^ 
but  his  equal  mode  of  existence  that  he  laid 
aside.  Thus  Paul  has  chosen  the  phrases 
'form  of  God'  and  'equal  mode  of  exist- 
ence' with  singular  felicity.  These  and  these 
alone  could  be  held  fast,  or  abandoned. 
Equality  of  nature  must  be  permanent. 

To  sum  up  now  the  meaning  of  this  verse: 
Christ,  who  in  his  antemundane  state  was  in 
'the  form  of  God,'  who  was  "the  image  of  the 
invisible  God,"  "the  brightness  of  his  glory, 
and  the  expi-ess  image  of  his  person  "  (Heb.  i :  3), 
did  not  consider  this  equality  with  God  a 
means  of  seizure,  or  self-enrichment,  did  not 
make  use  of  that  form,  and  manifest  that  glory, 
appearing  in  all  the  splendor  of  Deity  to  win 
his  present  state  of  glory  and  honor;  but,  as 
we  are  told  subsequently,  tf>ok  a  very  dif- 
erent  waj',  the  way  of  humility  and  self- 
abasement. 

7.  But  made  himself  of  no  reputation 
— bettor,  literally,  emptied  himself  (Revised 
Version);  that  is,  of  that  form,  that  peculiar 
manifestation  of  the  divine  glory.  He  not 
only  did  not  make  this  form  a  means  of  self- 
glorification,  but  did  the  very  opposite— re- 
nounced all  his  glorious  prerogatives,  and 
became  a  servant.  'Himself  is  emphatic  by 
its  position  in  the  Greek,  and  thus  invites 
attention  to  the  divine  subject  who  disrobed 
himself.  And  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  servant.  The  'and'  should  be  omitted, 
and  the  sentence  read  'taking,'  etc.  (Revised 


Version),  showing  how  the  emptying  was  real- 
ized. He  put  off  the  form  of  God,  and  put  on 
'the  form  of  a  servant '^that  i.s,  a  servant  of 
God,  not  of  man.  'Form'  differs  from  'fash- 
ion' (ver.  8)  by  describing  what  is  more  essential, 
'  fashion '  referring  to  what  is  more  external 
and  changeable.  The  two  verbs,  formed  from 
these  two  nouns,  are  brought  into  an  instruct- 
ive connection  in  Rom.  12  :  2.  In  ch.  3  :  21 
we  have  a  verb  and  adjective  formed  from  the 
two  nouns  brouglit  together.  The  taking  of  a 
servant's  form  is  now  explained:  Being 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men.  'The  form 
of  a  servant'  was  'the  likeness  of  men.'  The 
'and'  of  the  Common  Version  is  again  un- 
necessary. '  Likeness'  differs  from  both  '  form 
and  '  fashion,'  being  more  subordinate  than 
the  former,  and  less  than  the  latter.  He  was 
'made  in  the  likeness  of  inen,'  not  that  he  was 
not  strictly  and  truly  man,  but  that  he  was 
something  more,  the  God-man,  the  "Word 
made  flesh."  "He  was  not  only  soul  and 
body,  but  God  and  soul  and  body."  (Theo- 
doret. )  Compare  Rom.  8  :  3,  "in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,"  where  the  phrase  suggests 
similarity  and  dissimilarity;  flesh  like  our 
own,  but  sinless,  not  sinful  flesh. 

8.  And  being  found  in  fiishion  as  a 
man.  Paul  now  proceeds  to  describe  a  deeper 
depth  still  in  this  emptying  process,  but  he 
first  repeats  again  the  idea  of  Christ  s  humanity 
by  the  words  'being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,' 
where  we  see  again  \wvj  carefully  the  apostle 
guards  his  thouglit.  Christ  was  found  as  a 
man  in  fashion — that  is,  in  bearing,  manner, 
gestures,  speech,  dress.  In  all  these  respects 
he  was  like  other  men.  Yet  the  thought  that 
he  was  not  merely  a  man  moulds  the  expres- 
sion into  this  peculiar  form.  Before  (^er. «), 
Paul  used  the  strongest  language  concerning 
Christ's  pre-existence,  'subsisting,  in  the  form 
of  God' ;  here  and  in  ver.  7,  with  an  evident 
feeling  of  the  peculiar  character  of  Christ's 
humanity,  a  humanity  wholly  unique,  he  says: 


1  The  aorist  (ij-y^o-oTo)  refers  to  the  moment  when  he  left  heaven,  and  conceives  cf  him  as  then  putting  the 

thought  aside. 


30 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


'being  made  \n  the  likeness  of  men,'  and"^ be- 
ing found  in  fashion  as  a  man.'  The  'and' 
at  the  beginning  of  tlie  verse  connects  the 
verbs  'emptied'  (ver.  7),  and  'humbled'  (ver. 8). 
yee  Revised  Version.  To  the  putting  aside 
/^of  divine  powers  and  prerogatives  is  now 
added  the  further  step  of  humbling  liimself  in 
that  new  mode  of  existence.  "The  state  of 
emptying  gradually  becomes  deeper."  (Ben- 
gel.)  Hud  Clirist  appeared  as  a  second  Solo- 
mon in  all  the  glory  of  earthly  royalty,  he 
would  still  have  emptied  himself  of  that 
greater  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father 
before  the  world  was  (John  is :  5);  but  he  de- 
scended through  all  the  ranks  of  humanity, 
until  he  readied  the  lowest,  yea,  until  he 
appeared  as  the  vilest,  as  a  criminal,  a  male- 
factor. The  verb  '  humbled  '  is  placed  before 
tlie  pronoun  in  the  Greek,  thus  reversing  the 
order  in  ver.  7,  because  tliere  the  glorious  sub- 
ject of  the  emptying  process  was  to  be  made 
prominent;  here  the  W(jnderful  act  of  humili- 
ation. And  became  obedient.  The  'and' 
is  again  superfluous.  Render  'becoming  obe- 
dient' (Revised  Version) — that  is,  unto  God, 
not  to  man.  As  one  who  had  taken  a  creat- 
ure's place  and  position,  the  Son  must  become 
obedient,  and  this  obedience  he  rendered  in 
full,  although  it  led  to  a  most  shameful  death. 
Unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross. 
He  was  obedient  unto  the  very  extremity  of 
obedience,  death,  although  that  death  came 
in  the  most  disgraceful  form,  upon  the  cross. 
The  cross  was  a  mode  of  punishment  used  only 
for  slaves  by  the  Romans,  and  among  the 
Jews  regarded  as  entailing  a  curse.  {0:<.\.  3 :  13; 
Heb.  12 : 2.)  The  death  of  Christ  is  not  here  con- 
sidered as  an  atonement,  for  tliat  view  of  it  did 
not  come  within  the  scope  of  the  apostle's  im- 
mediate purpose,  but  it  is  viewed  solely  as  an 
example  of  perfect  obedience.  "To  live  as 
man  was  self-surrender;  to  die  as  man  was 
.self-sacrifice  —  the  deepest  of  humility,  the 
highest  of  obedience."  Compare  Rom.  5  :  19; 
Heb.  5:8;  Matt.  2G  :  39. 
It  may  be  well  at  this  point  to  give  a  brief 


summary  of  the  different  interpretations  of 
this  important  passage.  In  general  two  lines 
of  interpretation  have  been  followed.  The 
first  class  of  commentators  have  understood 
the  whole  passage  to  refer  to  Clirist' s  earthly 
life.  He,  while  on  earth,  did  not  arrogate  to 
himself  divine  honors,  and  did  not  display 
fully  his  divine  powers,  but  concealed  his  di- 
vinity. This  view  has  been  advocated  by  able 
commentators,  among  others  Neander  and 
Luther.  But  the  interpretation  halts  in  many 
particulars.  Christ  on  earth  was  never  in  the 
form  of  God,  and  if  tlie  apostle  had  wished  to 
express  the  idea,  that  he  renounced  divine 
honors  and  concealed  his  glorious  rank,  the 
natural  way  to  have  done  so  with  these  words 
would  have  been:  "Who  being  equal  with 
God  thouglit  it  not  robbery  to  be  in  the  form 
of  God;"  for  the 'form'  must  be  the  glory  that 
was  hidden  and  suppressed.  But  this  is  the 
very  reverse  of  what  the  apostle  actually  says. 
Again,  'taking  the  form  of  a  servant'  can- 
not mean  Christ's  lowly  condition,  because 
the  following  clause  plainly  describes  it  as 
becoming  man. 

The  second  class  of  interpreters  recognize  a 
reference  to  the  two  states  of  Christ's  existence, 
the  pre-incarnate  and  the  incarnate,  in  ver. 
6,  7,  finding  the  earthly  existence  first  de- 
scribed in  ver.  7.  But  beyond  this  there  are 
the  widest  divergencies  of  o)>inion  on  f)ther 
points.  Many,  taking  the  equality  with  God 
to  be  something  diflTerent  from  the  form  of 
God,  declare  that  Christ  did  not  grasp  at  this 
higher  position  of  divine  equality,  but  came 
to  earth  and  won  by  obedience  that  place 
which  he  now  holds  at  the  Father's  side.  This 
interpretation,!  however,  is  out  of  harmony 
with  the  context,  and  is  not  a  correct  exegesis 
of  the  passage.  From  the  context  we  see  that 
Paul  is  teaching  humilitj'^  and  unselfishness, 
and  to  enforce  the  lesson  he  quotes  the  exam- 
ple of  Christ,  who,  according  to  this  view,  did 
not  arrogate  Deity  or  equality  with  God.  But 
whore  is  the  pertinency  of  the  illustration? 
The  Pliilippians  are  not  to  regard  their  own 


iThe  order  of  words  in  the  Greek  is  opposed  to  this 
view.  IIa<l  Paul  intended  to  deelare  that  while  Christ 
possessed  '  the  form  of  (iod,'  he  did  not  arrogate  to  him- 
self equality  with  (iod,'  he  would  naturally  have  given 
the  place  of  emphasis  to  the  words 'equal  with  God.' 
Bein^;  iu  the  form  of  God  he  did  not  tliink  eijudHQ/  wilh 


God  a  thing  to  be  seized.  The  actual  emphasis  in  tlie 
text  is,  however,  on  the  word  seizure  or  robbery,  show- 
ing that  he  did  not  make  a  seizure  of  his  equality  with 
God — that  is,  did  not  use  it  to  seize  upon  the  honors  he 
now  wears. 


Ch.  IL] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


81 


9  Whfrt'fore  Ood  al.sn  hath  liighly  exalted  hini,  and 
given  him  a  name  whicli  is  above  every  name: 

Kt  That  at  the  nam.-  of  Jesiis  every  knee  should  bow, 
of  thinijs  in  heaveu,  aud  lllinys  iu  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth ; 


9  jea,   the  death   of  the  cross.     Wlierefore  also   God 

iiighly  exalted   him,  and   gave  niito  him  the  name 

10  wliieli   is  ahove  every   name;    that   in  the  name  of 

Jesus  every   knee  should  bow,  of  Ifiint/.i  in   heaveu 

and   l/i i II gs' ou  earth   aud  ^1/iiiig.i  under  the  earth, 


1  Or,  tliiiigs  0/  the  world  butow. 


things — tliat  is,  honors,  prerogatives,  etc.-  be- 
cause Christ  did  not  chiiin  what  was  not  his 
own  !  Surely  there  was  no  particular  huniiiity 
and  unsellishness  in  not  seizing  upon  some- 
thing that  did  not  belong  to  him.  To  have 
arrogated  equality  with  God  when  he  did  not 
pos.sess  it,  wt)uld  have  been  the  height  of  im- 
pious presumption.  In  order  to  give  us  a  per- 
tinent illustration,  Paul  must  present  Christ 
as  not  looking  on  his  own  things.  A  correct 
exegesis  of  the  i)assages  shows  this  to  be  the 
nature  of  the  illu.stration  ;  Christ  did  not  look 
upon  his  own — that  is,  his  equality' with  God — 
but  surrendered  it,  emptying  himself  and  as- 
saniing  a  human  form,  and  so  becoming  a 
ijiost  impressive  example  of  humility  and  un- 
selfishness. He  might  have  acted  otherwise. 
He  might  have  arrogated  to  hitnself  all  the 
lionors  that  he  now  wears.  He  might  have 
displayed  his  godhead  and  majesty  as  a  means 
of  glorifyiil^  himself,  but  instead  of  so  doing 
— and  iierein  he  becomes  a  wonderful  example 
for  us — he  looked  not  at  his  own  things,  dis- 
missed them  from  his  mind,  and  thought  only 
of  the  things  of  others,  of  humanity  and  its 
great  needs,  and,  emptying  himself  of  his 
divine  majesty  and  glory,  he  appeared  on 
earth  in  the.  lowliest  condition  of  life,  a  Gali- 
lean peasant,  companion  of  illiterate  fisher- 
men, friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.  Thus 
be  thought  not  of  his  divine  rank  as  a  means 
of  seizure,  but  drew  the  world  to  himself  by 
the  "cords  of  a  man,"  and  became  the  magnet 
to  attract  the  hearts  of  all  by  becoming  the 
world's  sacrifice. 

9.  Paul  proceeds  now  to  the  subject  of 
the  Saviour's  exaltation,  which  includes  ver. 
9-11.  Compare  Eph.  1  :  20-2S.  Where- 
fore— in  consequence  of  this  course  of  hu- 
mility and  obedience.  Gid  hath  also  — 
better,  n/so  God  (Revised  Version),  the  also 
belonging  to  all  that  follows  and  connecting 
God's  act  of  exaltatif)n  with  Christ's  act  of 
humiliation.  Highly  exalted.  This  is  one 
of  Paul's  peculiarly  expressive  compounds. 
"  A  noble  compound  verb."  (Bengel.)  Cotn- 
pounds  formed  by  the  preposition  for  'over' 


above  (vnip)  are  especially  frequent  in  his  epis- 
tles. Sec  Kom.  5  :  20;  7  :  13;  1  Cor.  12  :  31 ;  2 
Cor.  10  :  14;  Eph.  3  :  20,  and  elsewhere.  The 
exiiltation  here  referred  to  is  Christ's  elevation 
to  the  right  hand  of  God,  his  investiture  as 
King  of  saints,  with  full  power,  dominion, 
and  glory.  The  glory  which  Christ  willingly 
resigned  he  has  received  again  with  greater 
fullness  than  ever.  And  given  him  a  name 
— in  fulfiUmentof  the  divine  law  which  Christ 
himself  enunciated.  (Luke  14 :  ii ;  is :  u.)  In  place 
of  tlie  -name  which  he  bore  on  earth,  a  name 
so  often  spoken  with  contempt  and  scorn,  God 
has  given  him  a  most  glorious  name.  This  is 
but  another  way  of  saying  that  God  has  made 
him  wht>  was  once  despised  most  honorable. 
Manj'  have  discussed  the  question  whtit  the 
name  of  Christ  in  his  glory  might  be,  but  it 
seems  unnecessary  to  ttike  the.  words  so  liter- 
ally. We  have  no  reason  to  suppose  the 
Saviour's  actutil  name  in  heaven  to  be  any- 
thing different  from  his  name  on  earth,  but 
while  on  earth  it  was  despised,  it  is  now  hon- 
ored and  destined  to  be  honored  universallj'. 
That  Jesus  still  bears  his  earthly  name  we  are 
almost  forced  to  conclude  from  the  words 
whicli  follow  in  ver.  10. 

10.  The  purpose  of  the  exaltation  of  Jesus 
is  expressed  in  this  and  the  following  verse; 
namely,  that  to  him  may  be  paid  the  pro- 
foundest  homage  of  the  entire  universe.  At 
the  name  should  rather  be  in  the  nmnc  (Re- 
vised Version).  It  corresponds  precisely  in 
meaning  to  the  "in  my  name,"  which  Jesus 
himself   makes   the   condition  of  acceptable 

pra3'er.       (Jolm  U:  \3,  U;   15:  16;    16  :  V3,  24,  26.)       Our 

Lord  declares  that  in  his  name  the  disciples 
shall  offer  their  prayers,  and  Paul  simply  ex- 
pands the  application  of  those  words  to  a  still 
wider  sphere,  and  prophesies  that  in  that  same 
name  of  Jesus  the  whole  creation  shall  offer 
its  worship.  Disciples  now  acknowledge  the 
high  worth  of  the  name  of  Jesus  in  their 
prayers,  but  Paul  carries  us  on  to  the  more 
glorious  acknowledgment  of  that  name,  when 
the  whole  universe  shall  bow  its  knee  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  that  is,  on  account  of  what  he  is. 


32 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


11  And  that  every  tougue  sl)ould  confess  that  Jesus 
Clirist  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  I  lie  father. 

12  Wherefore,  my  beloved,  as  ye  have  always  obeyed, 
not  as  in  luy  preseuce  only,  but  now  luiieli  more  iu  my 
absence,  work  out  your  owu  salvatiou  with  fear  auu 
trembliug: 


11  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father. 

12  So  then,  my  beloved,  even  as  ye  have  always 
obeyed,  not  i  as  in  my  presence  only,  but  no*  mucli 
more  iu  my  absence,  worli  out  your  own  salvulion 


1  Some  aucieut  aulhurities  omit  as. 


With  such  an  interpretation  of  the  passage, 
there  is  not  the  slightest  justification  of  the  rit- 
ualistic custom  of  bowing  tiie  head  when  the 
name  of  Jesus  is  spoken.  Every  knee  should 
boAV  is  a  figurative  description  of  the  act  of 
worsliip.  Compare  Kom.  11 :  4;  14:11;  Eph. 
3  :  14.  It  brings  the  scene  vividly  before  the  im- 
agination, and  suggests  the  vast  throng  in  the 
natural  attitude  of  adoration.  Those  who  pa^' 
tliis  worship  are  all  created  beings.  The  Com- 
mon Version,  and  the  Kevised  Version  also, 
translate  things  in  heaven,  etc.  ;  but  though 
the  Greek  is  ambiguous,  the  masculine  form 
is  undoubtedly  in  the  apostle's  mind,  and  the 
rendering  should  be  "  o/  beings  in  heaven,^^ 
etc.  The  beings  in  heaven  are  the  angels, 
those  in  or  on  earth  are  living  men,  and  those 
under  the  earth  are  the  dead. 

11.  As  there  will  be  a  universal  expression 
of  silent  homage  in  the  bowing  of  the  knees, 
so  there  will  be  a  universal  expression  of  audi- 
ble worship  in  the  speaking  voices  of  all  cre- 
ated beings.  And  that  every  tongue  should 
confess.  The  language  is  a  reminiscence  of 
Lsaiah  45  :  23,  which  is  quoted  exactly  in  Rom. 
14  :  11.  Compare  Rev.  5  :  13.  That  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord.  This  is  the  exalted  honor 
paid  to  the  Saviour  that  the  whole  universe  at 
last  acknowledges  his  lordship.  Not  all  will 
do  this  gladly  and  heartily,  but  some  with 
love  and  some  with  fear;  yet  all  must  confess 
—openly  and  fully,'as  the  Greek  implies— the 
right  of  Christ  to  rule.  Even  those  who  have 
here  said,  "  we  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign 
over  us,"  will  then  bow  their  knees  in  homage, 
and  confess  his  authority.  Observe  how  this 
idea  of  universality  is  emphasized  by  the 
thrice-repeated  word  'every.'  To  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father.  The  exalted  position 
of  Christ  does  not  in  the  least  detract  from  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  but  rather  enhances  it. 
The  honor  paid  to  Christ  reflects  glory  upon 
the  Father  whose  Son  he  is.  The  worship  of 
the  Son  cannot  be  separated  from  the  worship 
of  the  Father.     In  the  beautiful  vision  of  uni- 


versal worship  described  in  Rev.  5,  all  crea- 
tures are  represented  as  ascribing  "  blessing 
and  honour  and  glory  and  power  unto  him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb, 
for  ever  and  ever." 

12-18.  Exhortation  TO  Perfect  Obedi- 
ence IN  Imitation  of  this  Great  Exam- 
ple OF  Jesus  Christ. — The  apostle  now 
resumes  his  exhortation  in  a  form  somewhat 
similar  to  the  beginning  of  this  course  of 
thought  in  1  :  27,  urging  the  Philippians  to 
work  out  (12)  the  salvation  that  has  already 
been  inwrought  into  their  souls  (13),  keeping 
free  from  murmurings  and  dissensions  (14), 
and  so  honoring  God  in  the  midst  of  a  wicked 
world  (15),  and  rewarding  the  apostle  for  his 
labors  (16),  who  is  ready  to  sacrifice  his  life, 
if  necessary,  for  them  (17),  in  which  case 
they  are  even  to  rejoice  (18). 

13.  Wherefore— because  Christ  has  given 
us  such  an  example  of  obedience.  As  ye 
have  always  obeyed— that  is,  God,  not  the 
apostle.  In  his  wise  and  gracious  way,  Paul 
first  compliments  them  on  their  past  obedi- 
ence, and  then  exhorts  to  a  still  more  perfect 
obedience.  Not  as  in  my  presence  only, 
but  now  much  more  in  my  absence.  In 
this  and  the  following  clause  the  thoughts  are 
crowded  and  made  somewhat  obscure.  In- 
stead of  saying  "as  ye  have  always  obeyed  in 
my  presence,  so  continue  to  obey  in  my  ab- 
sence," the  apostle  substitutes  for  the  words 
"continue  to  obey"  the  expressive  phrase 
work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  transferring  the  mind  in- 
stantly and  forciblj^  to  the  result  of  such 
obedience,  and  then,  instead  of  making  a 
simple  contrast  between  his  presence  and  his 
absence,  he  blends  with  it  the  suggestion  that 
the  obedience  should  be  much  more  earnest 
and  complete  in  his  absence;  they  are  not  to 
obey  as  they  did  in  his  presence,  but  '  much 
more'  in  his  'absence.'  The  thoughts  are 
expressed  with  such  brevity  as  to  render  the 
structure  somewhat  rugged  and  the  exact  sense 


Ch.  II.J 


PHILIPPIANS. 


33 


13  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  I  13  with  fear  and  trembling;  for  it  is  God  who  workeih 
and  to  do  of  /tijt  good  pleasure.  iu  you  boih  to  will  ami   lo  work,  for  his  good  pleas- 

1-1  Do  all  things  without  luurmurings  and  disput-  14  ure.  Uo  all  things  without  muruiunugs  and  uues- 
jngs: 


uncertain.*  The  obedience  is  suggested  by  the 
thought  of  Christ's  obedience  "unto  death" 
(ver.  8),  and  the  working  out  of  salvation  cor- 
responds to  the  glorious  reward  that  he  ob- 
tained (vir.  mj.  The  Philippians  are  e.xhorted 
to  be  more  faithful  and  earnest  in  his  absence, 
because  tliey  are  now  deprived  of  his  help  and 
there  is  a  greater  need  of  personal  watchful- 
ness and  circumspection.  Calvin  well  says: 
"It  is  the  part  of  hypocrites  to  do  well  when 
in  the  sight  of  those  by  whom  they  wish  to  be 
approved,  but  to  indulge  in  freedonis  when 
removed  from  observation."  What  a  rare 
church  must  that  at  Philippi  have  been,  that 
Paul  could  say  of  them  "as  ye  have  always 
obeyed."  Compare,  also,  1  :  5,  "from  the 
first  day  until  now."  Workout.  The  com- 
pound verb  expresses  the  idea  of  ])erseverance 
even  to  the  end.  This  word  gives  no  support 
to  the  notion  that  we  can  accomplish  our  own 
salvation;  for  in  the  next  verse  we  are  told 
tliat  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you.  The  be- 
liever can  only  co-operate  with  God  in  devel- 
oping the  life  that  God  has  first  imparted. 
Without  God  there  would  be  no  beginning, 
and  without  him  there  would  be  no  ending  of 
the  work.  Your  own  salvation.  'Own' is 
inserted  wnth  emphasis.  Each  man  must  work 
out  his  ovm  salvation.  See  Winer,  p.  151. 
This  should  engage  their  thoughts  rather 
than  the  vainglorious  ambitions  and  selfish 
purposes  against  which  he  warned  them  in 
ver.  3  and  4.  As  Christ,  by  his  obedience, 
secured  the  highest  possible  glory,  so,  by  their 
obedience,  they  will  secure  their  greatest  re- 
ward, that  is,  salvation.  With  fear  and 
trembling.  These  words  occur  only  three 
times  in  Paul's  epistles,  and  always  in  refer- 
ence to  obedience:  1  Cor.  2  :  3;  2  Cor.  7  :  15; 
Eph.  6  :  5.  The  fear  is  not  exactly  the  fear  of 
God,  but  of  the  greatness  of  the  task  and  of 
the  possibility  of  failure;  trembling,  the  phj's- 
ical  accompaniment  of  fear,  is  added  to  give 
fullness  and  completeness  to  the  phrase,  with- 
out suggesting  any  new  thought.  They  are  to 
exhibit  the  utmost  solicitude  lest  they  may 


not  do  enough  to  make  their  salvation  secure. 
Compare  1  Cor.  10  :  12;  Heb.  2  :  3. 

13.  For  it  is  God.  The  apostle  now  ex- 
presses the  encouraging  motive  to  such  care- 
ful obedience.  The  fact  tliat  God  is  the  Author 
of  salvation  should  encourage  us  to  work  out 
our  salvation,  for  he  will  surely  complete  the 
work  that  he  has  begun  (i:b),  and  it  should 
produce  fear  and  trembling,  lest  we  disj)lease 
him  by  our  carelessness  and  negligence.  That 
worketh  in  you.  God  begins  the  work  of 
salvation  by  working  in  our  hearts,  and  we 
carry  that  work  out  to  its  completion  when 
by  obedience  we  yield  ourselves  up  to  God. 
The  life  must  first  be  implanted,  wrought  in 
us,  before  we  can  begin  to  work  it  out,  to  unfold 
and  develop  it.  To  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure.  To  God  is  ascribed  both  the 
willing  and  the  doing.  This  doing  is  not  the 
same  as  that  already  enjoined  upon  men  (ver.  la); 
that  was  described  as  '  working  out,'  carrying 
to  the  end  ((carfpyo^eafle),  tliis  as  'working  in' 
(ivepyehi) — the  same  word  by  which  he  has  de- 
scribed God's  work.  God  does  not  work  in 
us  the  accomplishment  of  salvation,  for  that 
would  leave  man  nothing  to  do,  but  he  im- 
parts to  us  the  willing,  the  riglit  choice,  and 
the  doing,  the  moral  ability  to  carry  out  the 
dictates  of  the  will.  That  carrying  out  is  our 
own  work.  (ver.  12.)  "  We  will,  but  God  works 
in  us  the  willing;  we  work,  but  G:)d  works  in 
us  the  working."  (Augustine.)  The  theolo- 
gians named  these  two  divine  operations,  pre- 
venting and  assisting  grace.  Of  his  ^ood 
pleasure — rather/or, /o?-  t/ie  sake  of;  that  is, 
to  satisfy  his  benevolent  disposition.  The 
reason  of  God's  action  is  to  be  found  in  the 
promptings  of  his  gracious  will.  It  is  "for 
the  sake  of  liis  love."  (Chrysostom.)  Com- 
pare 1  Tim.  2  :  4. 

14.  Uo  all  thin$;s.  He  here  indicates  the 
spirit  in  which  the  injunction  of  ver.  12  should 
be  carried  out,  and  recalls  the  previous  admo- 
nitions to  harmony  and  unity.  (1  :i7;  2. 2,  seq.) 
'AH  '  is  placed  first  in  the  Greek  with  enii)ha- 
sis.     All  that  j'ou  do,  do  in  the  spirit  of  cheer- 


'  The  Common  Version  seems  to  connect  the  words  I  but  the  Greek  negative  would  then  hay*  been  oi,  not 
'  not  as  in  my  presence,"  etc.,  with  the  preceding  verbs;  <  m")-     See  Winer,  p.  476. 

C 


34 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


15  That  ye  may  be  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  j  15  tionings;  that  ye  may  become  blameless  and  harra- 


of  <iod,  witlioiil  rebuke,  in  the  midst  oi'  a  crooked  and 
perverse  nation,  among  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world  ; 

16  Holding  forth  the  word  of  life;  that  I  may  rejoice 
in  the  day  of  Christ,  that  1  have  not  run  in  vain, 
neither  laboured  iu  vain. 


less,  children  of  God  without  blemish  in  the  midst 
of  a  crooked  and  perverse  generation,  among  whom 
16  ye  are  seen  as  'lights  in  tne  world,  holding  forth 
the  word  of  lile:  tuat  I  may  liave  whereof  to  glory 
in   the  day   of  Christ,  tliui    1   did  not  run  iu  vaiu 


1  Gr.  iuminarie 


fill  obedience.  "It  is  better  to  do  nothing 
than  to  do  it  with  murmurings."  (Chrysos- 
tom.)     Without  murmurings  and  disput- 

ings.  The  first  is  an  onomatopoetic  word, 
like  the  English  word  'murmuring,'  and  re- 
fers to  exprt^ssed  complaints;  the  second  de- 
notes inward  questionings.  '  Disputings"  sug- 
gests a  rebellion  of  the  thoughts  against  God, 
while  'murmurings'  may  spring  merely  from 
a  bad  state  of  heart;  the  first  arise  from  a  lack 
of  faith,  the  second  from  a  lack  of  love.  There 
is  no  doubt  allusion  here  to  the  conduct  of  the 
children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  whose  mur- 
murings at  that  time  became  proverbial,  (i  Cor. 
10:10.)  "The  slave  murmurs,  but  what  son 
■will  murmur  who,  while  about  his  father's 
work,  works  also  for  himself "  (Chrysostom.) 
15.  The  apostle  here  describes  the  high 
mark  they  are  to  aim  at.  That  ye  may  be 
(rather,  /!>ecome)— indicating  growth,  develop- 
ment. Blameless  and  harmless.  Compare 
in  1  :  10  the  twofold  description  of  moral 
righteousness,  '  pure  and  without  offence.' 
'Bhinieless'  refers  to  their  character  in  the 
judgment  of  others;  'harmless' — literally, 
unmixed,  pure — to  their  intrinsic  worth.  Our 
Saviour  uses  this  word  'harmless' — that  is, 
pure,  sincere — in  his  description  of  what  his 
followers  should  be.  (m.-u.  lo :  le.)  The  sons  of 
Ciod.  Omit  'the,'  and  translate  children  of 
God.  (Revised  Version.)  It  is  an  emphatic 
summing  up  of  the  character  expressed  in  the 
two  previous  words.  Without  rebuke  (or, 
blemish).  They  are  not  only  to  be  children 
of  God,  but  such  as  are  without  spot  or  blem- 
ish. In  the  midst,  etc.  In  direct  and  marked 
contrast  witli  this  character,  which  they  should 
exliibit,  Paul  describes  the  nature  of  their 
moral  environment.  Compare  Gal.  1 :  4,  "this 
present  evil  world."  Christians  are  in  the 
midstof  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation  (or, 
generation,  Revised  Version).  'Nation'  is 
not  a  correct  translation.  Of  the  two  ad- 
jectives the  second,  'perverse,'  or  'distorted,' 
'twisted,'  is  stronger  tha'i  the  first,  which 
means  simply  'crooked.'     Tliese  words  recall 


the  characteristic  descriptions  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness,  especially  Deut.  82  :  5,  on  which 
the  apostle's  mind  seems  to  have  been  dwell- 
ing throughout  this  exhortation.  Compare 
also  Luke  9  :  41.  Because  the  world  is  so 
'crooked'  and  'perverse'  Christians  ought  all 
the  more  earnestly  to  exhibit  the  character  of 
true  children  of  God,  a  character  that  is  above 
reproach  before  the  tribunal  either  of  the  world 
or  of  the  individual  conscience,  and  in  which 
no  blemish  can  be  discovered  even  by  this 
corrupt  generation,  which  is  always  so  ready 
to  carp  at  God's  people,  and  so  perverse  and 

j  unreasonable  in  all  its  criticism.  Among 
whom  refers  logically  back  to  the  individuals 
composing  the  'generation,'  though  it  has  no 

I  grammatical  antecedent.     See  "Winer,  p.  141; 

I  Buttman,    p   282.      Ye    shine    (or,    aj^j^ear). 

•■  'Shine'  would  require  the  active  voice.     As 

I  lights  (or,  luminaries,  margin  of  Revised 
Version) — in  allusion,  not  to  candles  or  lamps, 
but  to  the  great  luminaries  <^)f  the  heavens. 
In  the  world  should  be  closely  connected 
with  the  preceding  noun,  'luminaries,'  de- 
scribing their  position  in  the  ph\'sical  world, 

j»not  with  the  verb  'appear,'   referring  to  the 

I  Christian's  position  in  the  moral  world. 
"Christ  is  light,   and  they  are  luminaries." 

j  For  the  world  ((cdauos),  without  the  article,  see 

!  Winer,  p.  123. 

I      16.    Holding    forth   the  word    of   life. 

I  Their  oflSce  as  light  givers  will  be  fulfilled 
when  they  'hold  forth  the  word  of  life,'  which 

I  is  moral  and  spiritual  light  to  the  world. 
Meyer  translates  "possessing  the  word  of 
life,"  and  claims  that  while  the  rendering 
'holding  forth'  is  linguistically  correct,  it  is 
not  in  harmony  with  the  figure  of  luminaries. 
The  objection,  however,  seems  somewhat 
forced.  The  apostle's  mind  was  probably 
more  occupied  with  the  real  nature  of  tlieir 
work  than  with  the  figurative  representation 
of  it  just  given,  and  so  he  used  the  word 
'holding  forth,'  rather  than  some  word  which 
would  more  exactly  continue  the  previous 
imagery.     Christ  is  properly  the  word  of  life 


Cii.  II.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


35 


17  Yea,  and  if  I  be  offered  upon  the  sacrifice  and  :  17  neither  labour  in  vain.    Yea,  and  if  I  am  i  offered 
service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  aud  rgoice  with  you  all.  upon  the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  1  joy, 

18  For  the  same  cause  also  do  ye  joy,  and  r^oice    18  and  rejoice  with  you  all;  and  iu  the  same  manner 
with  me.  |       do  ye  also  joy,  aud  rejoice  with  me. 


1  Gr.  poured  out  aa  a  drink-offering. 


(see  1  John  1:1),  but  the  gospel  is  here  meant, 
as  tliat  which  reveals  Christ.  The  expression 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  Paul's  writings.  That 
I  may  rejoice  (rather, /or  m.}/  boastbig).  In 
1  :  20  Paul  speaks  of  their  boasting  being  in 
him,  now  of  his  boasting  being  in  them. 
Compare  2  Cor.  1  :  14.  This  boasting  is  only 
an  indirect  object  which  they  should  have 
in  view.  The  primary  object  is,  of  course, 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  men. 
(Since,  however,  personal  appeals  from  one  be- 
loved affect  us  more  sometimes  than  higher 
inducements,  Paul  here  urges  this  personal 
consideration  upon  the  Philippians.  In 
{against)  the  day  of  Christ — laid  up,  as  it 
were,  against  that  day.  That  I  have  not 
run  in  vain — which  will  be  made  evident  on 
that  daj-  by  the  excellent  character  of  his 
Pliililipian  converts,  (i  xhess. 'i:  ii»,  20.)  Neither 
laboured  in  vain.  The  familiar  metaphor 
of  a  fot)t-race,  appearing  in  the  first  verb  'run,' 
now  gives  place  to  a  literal  description.  Paul 
was  "in  labours"  often.  (2Cor. 6;3;  u:23.) 

17.  Yea,  and  if  I  be  offered,  etc.  The 
personal  reference  in  the  last  verse  leads  him 
to  add  an  expression  of  his  willingness  to  do 
even  more  for  them  than  he  has  ever  done. 
He  is  willing,  if  necessary,  to  become  a  mar- 
tyr for  their  sake?.  "  Tiiis  is  to  teach  the  gos- 
pel from  the  heart,  when  we  are  prepared 
with  our  own  blood  to  sanction  what  we 
teach."  (Calvin.)  This  martyrdom  he  con- 
ceives of  under  the  figure  of  a  priest  slain 
while'  he  is  offering  sacrifice.  Tlie  victim 
upon  the  altar  is  the  faith  of  the  Pliilippians, 
which  Paul,  the  ministering  priest,  is  engaged 
in  off(!ring  up  to  God  when  he  is  slain  and  his 
blood  is  poured  out — a  most  holy  and  precious 
libation.  In — that  is,  in  the  net  0/— the  sac- 
rifice and  service  of  your  faith.    In  speak- 


ing of  himself  as  being  "poured  out"  (see 
margin  of  Revised  Version),  there  is  an  evi- 
dent allusion  to  the  pouring  out  of  oblations 
of  wine  in  sacrificing.  According  to  the  Jew- 
ish custom,  sucii  wine  offerings  were  poured 
out  at  the  side  of  the  altar,  but  Paul  in  writ- 
j  ing  to  converted  heathens  has  jjrubably  in 
]  mind  the  heathen  custom  in  whicii  the  wine 
was  poured  upon  the  victim.  Wlietiier  it  be 
j  a  mere  coincidence,  or  something  higher, 
Paul  has  nevertheless  here  foreshadowed  not 
only  the  fact  of  his  subsequent  martyrdom, 
but  the  manner  of  it — by  the  sword. ^  I  joy, 
— even  if  thisshould  be  the  case, — and  rejoice 
with  you  all.  Some  contend  for  the  mean- 
ing "congratulate,"  in  the  second  verb. 
Meyer  especially  insists  on  this  meaning,  on 
the  ground  that  he  could  not  urge  them  to  re- 
joice in  ver.  18  if  he  had  already  spoken  of 
rejoicing  with  them.  But  why  not,  if  he  real- 
izes that  the  statement  was  a  startling  one? 
Why  may  he  not  repeat,  in  the  form  of  an  in- 
junction, what  he  had  already  stated  asa  fact? 
Such  martyrdom  would  be  a  cause  of  joy  to 
him,but  he  suggests  that  the  church  also  will  be 
gainers  as  well  as  himself,  for,  as  was  well  said 
later,  "  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the  seed  of 
the  church."  But  realizing  how  startling  tl;o 
suggestion  that  he  rejoices  with  them,  the 
apostle  now  adds  the  following  injunction: 

18.  For  the  same  cause  also  do  ye  joy — 
and  at  the  same  time  remember  that  in  so 
doing  you  are  only  sharing  a  joy  I  have  al- 
ready— and  rejoice  with  me.- 

If  their  faith  and  his  blood  are  mingled 
together  on  the  altar,  their  joy  and  his  should 
be  blended  over  the  common  sacrifice.  Paul 
throughout  this  Epistle  strives  to  impress  upon 
his  readers  how  light  a  thing  he  considered  it 
to  be  to  offer  his  life  for  the  .=ake  of  the  gospel. 


iThc  form  of  the  hypothesis  in  the  Greek  suggests 
the  probability  of  the  supposition.  His  death  seems  to 
liiiu  by  no  means  a  remote  contingency ;  icoi  ei  would 
suggest  the  latter  notion.  Kiihner  ^340,  7;  Winer, 
p.  444.  The  present  tense  (<rircV6o(xat)  indicates  the 
nearness  of  the  danger.  In  2  Tim.  4  :  G,  where  he 
is  anticipating  immediate  death,  he  uses  the  same 
tense  of  this  verb.  The  two  nouns,  Bvaia  and  Aci- 
rovpyiff,   have  but  a  single  article  to  show  that  they 


form  a  single  conception.  Hence,  the  first  is  the  act 
of  sacrificing  (Herodotus  4,60;  8,  99),  not  the  victim, 
and  the  second  is  added  to  describe  the  piieslly 
service  which  accompanied  the  sacrifice.  The  pre- 
ceding preposition  signifies  'in,'  if  Svaia  be  inter- 
preted as  an  action ;  '  upon,'  if  it  be  lalien  to  mean 
victim. 

•  The  pronoun  (outo)  is  accusative  after  the  verb  and 
denotes  cause,  not  manner,  as  in  the  Revised  Vcisiou. 


36 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


19  But  I  trust  in  tbe  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Tiuiotheus 
shortly  uiito  you,  that  I  also  may  be  of  good  comfort 
when  1  know  your  state. 

■20  For  1  have  no  luan  likemioded,  who  will  naturally 
care  for  your  state. 

jil  For  all  seek  their  own,  not  the  things  which  are 
Jesus  Christ's. 


19  But  I  hope  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Timothy 
shortly  unto  you,  that  1  also  may  be  of  good  coui- 

20  fort,  wlieu  I  know  your  state.    I'or  1  have  uo  man 
likemiuded,  wlio   will   care  '  truly   lor   your   stale. 

21  For  they  all  seek  their  own,  not  the  things  ot  Jesus 


1  Gr.  genuinely. 


"  The  death  of  the  just  is  no  subject  for  tears, 
but  for  joy.  If  they  rejoice,  we  should  rejoice 
with  them.  For  it  is  misplaced  for  us  to  weep 
while  they  rejoice."     (Chrysostom.) 

19-24.  The  Apostle's  Purpose  to  Send 
Timothy.— Tiie  apostle  declares  his  purpose 
of  sending  Timothy  (19),  whose  character  he 
most  highly  eulogizes  (20),  in  contrast  with  his 
fellow-laborers  (21),  appealing  at  tlie  same 
time  to  the  knowledge  which  the  Phiiippians 
had  of  him  (22)  ;  and  after  reiterating  his  in- 
tention to  send  him  (23),  he  expresses  a  hope 
of  soon  coming  himself  (24). 

19.  But  (&e).  Paul  now  passes  to  the  new 
topic  of  his  assistants  and  messengers,  speak- 
ing first  of  Timothy.  The  connection  with  the 
foregoing  is  as  follows:  In  ver.  17  and  18  he 
had  spoken  of  the  possibility  of  his  death, 
which  his  language  suggests  as  probable;  but 
that  conviction  now,  as  elsewhere  in  this 
Epistle,  seems  to  yield  at  once  to  the  opposite 
expectation  of  a  speedy  release,  or  at  least  of 
such  an  improvement  in  his  affairs  that  he  can 
dispense  with  Timothy's  presence  and  services. 

I  trust,  rather,  hope.  (Kevised  Version.) 
The  verb  in  the  Greek  has  an  emphatic  posi- 
tion in  the  sentence.  He  hopes,  notwithstand- 
ing his  exposure  to  death,  to  be  delivered,  and 
to  be  able  to  send  Timothy  whom  he  could  not 
have  spared  in  case  he  had  been  condemned  to 
die.  In  the  Lord  Jesus.  See  above,  1  :  4, 
and  below,  ver.  24.  These  words  are  per- 
fectly natural  to  the  great  apostle,  who  cotild 
not  even  hope  for  anything  except  in  complete 
submission  to  the  Lord's  will.  It  was  in  the 
Lord  he  hoped,  as  in  the  Lord  his  whole  life 
moved.  Shortly — that  is,  as  soon  as  he  learns 
what  disposition  is  to  be  made  of  his  case  (see 
ver.  2:3),  which  he  here  intimates  will  be  very 
soon.     To  send  Timothy  unto  you,  etc.' 

The  purpose  of  this  mission  of  Timothy  was 
to  inform  Paul  more  fully  abotit  the  condition 
of  the  Philippian  Church,  but  with  his  custom- 


ary  delicacy  he  indicates  his  confidence  in 

them  by  his  expectation  of  comfort  from 
Timothy's  report."  That  I  also  may  be  of 
good  comfort.  The  verb  here  used  is  found 
nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament,  and  rarely 
anywhere.  The  imperative  is  sometimes  found 
on  sepulchres  in  the  sense  of  "farewell." 
Also.  The  Phiiippians  will  be  comforted  by 
hearing  from  him,  and  he  expects  also  to  be 
comforted  by  news  from  them. 

20.  The  reason  why  he  selects  Timothy. 
liike-minded — that  is,  with  Timothy,  not 
with  Paul,  as  many  commentators  explain  it. 
He  naturallj'  compares  Timothy  with  the  rest 
of  his  assistants,  and  says:  "I  have  no  one 
like  him."  The  other  comparison  seems  un- 
natural and  egotistic,  though  Meyer  thinks 
the  apostle  could  not  recommend  him  better. 
Who  (oo-Tts),  signifies  ''of  such  a  character 
that,"  and  what  follows  shows  wherein  Tim- 
othy differs  so  remarkably  from  all  the  rest. 
Will  naturally  {yvrtada^ — that  is,  \>y  a  certain 
natural  instinct.  Demosthenes  uses  the  same 
word  of  a  genuine  son  in  opposition  to  an 
adopted  son,  and  uses  the  adverb  here  em- 
ployed to  signify  an  inherited  and  instinctive 
manner.  Hence  the  apostle  intimates  that 
Timoth3''s  interest  will  not  be  forced  or  feigned, 
but  spontaneous  and  natural.  Care — tha"t  is, 
with  anxious  solicitude.  Our  Saviour  uses 
this  word  when  he  forbids  thought  of  the 
morrow.  See  Matt.  G  :  84.  Timothy  must 
have  been  a  more  than  ordinary  character  to 
have  won  such  high  praise  from  a  man  like 
Paul,  whose  regard  and  affection  continued 
unabated  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

21.  In  contrast  with  this  beautiful  character 
of  Timothy  the  apostle  describes  the  selfish- 
ness of  the  rest.  For  all  seek  their  own. 
"It  was  a  very  keen  sense  by  which  Paul  per- 
ceived this.''  (Bengel.)  So  severe  has  this 
censure  seemed,  that  many  have  attempted  to 
soften  it  by  weakening  the  force  of  the  words 


I  The  dative  {vf^iv)  is  a  peculiar  but  not  nnclassical  I  the  ordinary  construction  would  be  irpbo-  vna^.    See  ver. 
a»age,  implying  that  the  mission  was  for  their  benefit ;  '  25. 


Ch.  IL] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


017 


22  But  ye  know  the  proof  of  him,  thai,  as  a  sun  with 
the  father,  he  liath  .served  with  me  in  I  lie  Kuspel. 

•^  Him  therefore  1  hope  to  send  presently,  so  soon  as 
I  shall  set  liow  it  will  gu  with  me 

24  but  I  trust  iu  the  Lord  that  I  also  myself  shall 
come  shortly. 


22  Christ.     But  ye  know  the  proof  of  him,  that,  as  a 
child  serveth  a  father,  so    he    served   with    lue    in 

23  furtherance  of  the  gospel.     Him  iherelore  I  Iiope  to 
send  forthwith,  so  soon  a.s  1  sh;ill  see  how  it  will  go 

24  with  me :  but  1  trust,  iu  the  Lord  that  1  myself  also 


t(»  "almost  all,"  but  this  is  not  permissible. 
The  only  modificaiioii  allowable,  springs  not 
from  the  language,  but  from  a  consideration 
of  the  fact,  that  only  those  avtiilable  for  such 
a  mission,  not  the  entire  Roman  brotherhood, 
can  be  here  alluded  to,  and  that,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Timotliy,  none  of  the  apostle's  well- 
known  friends  and  associtites  tippear  to  have 
been  in  liome  at  this  time.  This  certainly 
seems  evident  from  the  absence  of  any  such 
greetings  from  individuals  at  the  close  of  the 
Epistle  as  Paul  was  accustomed  to  send.  It  is 
of  course  impossible  to  tell  on  whom  the 
apostle's  censure  rested,  but  probably  Demas 
was  a  representative  of  the  class.  How  differ- 
ent a  picture  of  the  apostolic  church  these  few 
words  give  us,  from  that  almost  perfect  vision 
which  floats  before  our  imagination,  when  the 
primitive  church  is  mentioned!  Judged  by 
such  hints  as  these  from  the  writings  of  Paul, 
— the  most  charitable  of  critics, — the  apostolic 
church  was  not  only  not  the  ideal  church  manj' 
imagine  it  to  have  been,  but  far  inferior  to  the 
churches  in  modern  times.  How  sorely  Paul's 
heart  was  tried  by  the  fickleness  and  worldli- 
ness  of  co-laborers,  appears  most  clearly  in  an 
epistle,  written  at  a  later  date,  the  Second  to 
Timothy. 

23.  The  Philippians  from  their  own  knowl- 
edge are  able  to  substantiate  Paul's  good 
opinion  of  Timothy,  for  they  know  the 
proof  of  him,  or  rather  his  approved  char- 
acter. Conifiare  2  Cor.  2:  9;  9  :  13.  "Rare 
praise."  (Bengel. )  Timothy  had  been  present 
at  Philippi  twice  in  Paul's  company.  (Acts 
16:  1,  3,  compared  with  19  :  22;  20  :  4.)  He 
may  also  have  been  there  at  other  times,  as 
Paul  svas  accustomed  to  send  him  upon  special 
embassies  to  the  churches.  See  1  Cor.  4  :  17; 
16  :  10.  At  any  rate,  he  seems  to  have  been 
personally  well  known  to  the  church  there. 

The  following  sentence  contains  the  sub- 
stance of  their  persontil  e.xperiencc  with  Timo- 
thy ;  he  had  assisted  Paul  as  a  son  with  a 
father.     In  writing  this  thought  the  apostle 


begins  as  if  he  were  about  to  say,  as  a  son 
serves  a  father  he  has  served  me,  but  his  nice 
sense  of  propriety  restrains  him  from  si)eaking 
of  anj'  one  serving  himself",  and  so  he  changes 
the  construction  and  says,  he  hath  served 
with  me.' 

This  service  had  been  rendered  in  the  gos- 
pel— or,  as  in  Revised  Version,  "in  further- 
ance of  the  gospel." 

23.  Him  therefore.  The  jironoun  is  put 
first  with  emphasis;  this  one,  being  such,  I 
hope  to  send.  In  .ver.  19,  where  the  hope  was 
the  chief  thought  in  his  mind,  we  have  tlie 
verb  first.  So  soon  as  I  shall  see.  The 
verb  means  see  from  a  distance,  hence  to  see 
forward  to  the  end.  Compare  Heb.  12  :  2.  As 
soon  as  Paul  sees  clearly  how  it  will  go  with 
him  (literall3%  the  things  concerning  me)  he 
will  send  Timothy.  To  what  special  matters 
he  alludes  is  uncertain,  but  it  is  evident  that 
he  was  looking  for  some  immediate  change  in 
his  condition,  for  better  or  for  worse.  The 
Common  Version  translates  the  adverb  pre- 
sently, but  it  is  rather  immediately,  ov,  forth- 
with  (Revised  Version),  indicating  a  netirer 
point  of  lime,  while  "shortly,"  in  the  next 
verse  points  forward  to  a  more  distant,  though 
still  near  future.  He  will  send  Timothy  im- 
mediately' and  come  himself  soon. 

24.  But  I  trust  in  the  Lord  that  I  also 
shall  come  shortly.  His  expectation  of  soon 
coming  himself  is  like  his  hope  of  sending 
Timothy  'in  the  Lord.'  Compare  James 
4  :  15.  We  observe  the  same  wavering  and 
uncertainty  about  his  future  as  in  1  :  22,  seq.  ; 
but  here,  its  there,  hope  of  release  predomi- 
nates. Compare  Philem.  22,  where  he  ex- 
presses a  more  assured  expectation  of  freedom. 
Whether  this  expectation  was  realized  or  not 
cannot  be  satisfactorily  determined,  but  the 
intimations  of  the  pastoral  epistles,  as  well  as 
the  unvarying  testimony  of  tradition,  are  all 
in  favor  of  the  view  that  his  hope  was  ful- 
filled. 

25-30.    Information    Concerning    his 


iTbe  dative  is  due  to  this  fiiet  construction  which  was  in  the  apostle's  mind,  and  depends  on  the  verb 
[SovXevei)  understood. 


38 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IL 


25  Yet  I  supposed  it  necessary  to  send  to  you 
EpapliruUitus,  my  brother,  and  companion  in  labour, 
and  fellow  soldier,  but  your  messenger,  and  he  that 
ministered  to  my  wants. 

26  For  he  lougetl  after  you  all,  and  was  full  of 
heaviness,  because  that  ye  had  heard  th«t  he  had  been 
sick. 

27  For  indeed  he  was  sick  nigh  unto  death :  but  God 


25  shall  come  shortly     But  1  counted  it  necessary  to 

send  to  you  Epaphrouitus,  uiy  brother  aud  fellow- 
worker  and  fellow-.soidicr,  and  your  i  messenger  aud 

26  minister  to  my  need;  since  belonged  -after  you  all, 
and  was  sore  troubled,  because  ye  bad  heard  that  he 

27  was  sick:  for  indeed  he  was  sick  nigh  unto  death: 


1  Gr.  apostle '2  Mau}'  aucieni  aullioritiea  read  to  see  you  all. 


Present    Me.ssenger,     Epaphroditus.  — 

Tlie  apostle  thinks  it  necessary  to  send  Epaph- 
roditus (25),  on  accountof  that  disciple's  home- 
sickness (26),  who  had  hut  jtist  recovered  from 
an  almost  fatal  illness  (27).  Hence,  the  apostle 
makes  haste  to  send  him  (28),  urging  the  Phil- 
ippians,  at  the  same  time,  to  receive  him  with 
all  joy  (29),  because  he  had  risked  his  very 
life  for  the  work  of  Christ  (30). 

25.  Notwithstanding  the  probability  that 
Timothy,  and  even  he  himself,  will  soon  visit 
them,  I  supposed'  it  necessary  to  send  to 
you  Epaphroditus — that  is,  at  present,  for 
the  reason  explained  in  ver.  26-28.  He  was 
verj'  likely  a  resident  of  Philippi  (there  is  no 
reason  to  identify  him  with  the  Epaphras  of 
Col.  1:7;  4  :  12,  who  was  a  Colossisin  Chris- 
tian), and  is  supposed  by  some  to  have  been 
the  pastor  of  the  cliurch.  Paul  evinces  his 
high  regard  for  him  by  the  manner  in  which 
he  refers  to  him.  He  calls  him  his  brother, 
fellow-worker,  and  fellow-soldier,  in  which 
descrii)tion  we  observe  a  climax;  he  shares 
the  same  relationship,  toils,  dangers;  he  is  also 
the  Phil'ipjiians'  'me.ssenger'  and  'minister' 
to  the  apostle.  The  first  of  these  last  two  epi- 
thets is  used  in  its  etymological  significance, 
"one  sent."  Compare  2  Cor.  8:23.  There 
is  no  allusion  to  his  "apostleship"  in  an3' 
sense.  He  is  also  the  'minister'  to  the  apos- 
tle's needs  by  bringing  a  contribution  from 
the  Philippians  to  him.  See  4:  18.  The  sim- 
ple verb  in  the  Greek  "to  send"  is  u.sed  in 
the  sense  of  the  compound  to  send  back,  a 
common  usage.     If,  however,  as  Bengel  con- 


jectures, Epaphroditus  had  been  sent  to  stay 
with  the  apostle,  the  simi)le  form  would  be 
the  more  appropriate ;  as  his  cotnpitnion,  he 
simply  sends  him. 

26.  The  reason  for  his  sending  Epaphrodi- 
tus was  chiefly  his  homesickness.  For  lie 
longed— is  lonyuig.  Epistolary  imperfect. 
See  on  ver.  25.^  In  this  longing  "something 
of  nature  may  have  been  mingled,  but  when 
grace  prevails  all  things  are  estimated  by 
love."  (Bengel.)  And  was  {is)  lull  of 
heaviness.  Suidas  detines  this  verb  as  sig- 
nifying "  tobe  exceedingly  sorrowful."  Others 
make  the  meaningtobe  "foreign"  (from  aand 
fi^Mos),  and  hence  "homeless,"  "wretched."  In 
either  case  it  is  a  strong  word,  expressive  of 
great  distress  of  mind,  and  is  used  by  Matthew 
to  describe  our  Lord's  agony  in  the  garden. 
(Matt.  26  :  37.)  Because  that  ye  had  (or, 
have)  heard.  In  some  way  unknown  to  us, 
Epaphroditus  had  heard  that  the  news  of  his 
sickness  had  reached  Philippi,  and  ])robably, 
also,  that  the  Philippians  were  much  distressed 
about  him  ;  and  this  information  had  produced 
a  deep  feeling  of  h(miesickness,  a  feeling  so 
intense  that  the  apostle  describes  it  as  a  condi- 
tion of  mental  wretchedness.  In  the  very  words 
of  this  description  we  realise  the  tenderness 
of  the  apostle's  sympathy  with  the  homesick 
disciple. 

27.  The  report  the  Philippians  had  received 
was  true,  for^  indeed  he  was  sick.  The 
sickness  had  been  well  nigh  fatal,  hut  God 
had  restored  him,  showiricr  mercy  not  to  him 
alone,  but  to  Paul  also,  whose  heart  would 


1  The  tense  of  the  principal  verb  in  this  and  ver.  2G 
and  28  is  aorist,  but  probably  refers  to  the  very  time 
when  Paul  was  writing,  and,  therefore,  according  to 
English  usage,  should  be  translated  as  present.  In 
letters,  the  Greek  custom  was  to  assume  the  standpoint 
of  the  receiver,  and  to  put  the  writer's  present  thoughts 
and  purpo.ses  into  a  past  tense.  We  should,  however, 
say,  "  I  think  it  necessary,"  "  he  is  longiog  after  you  all 
and  is  full  of  heaviness,"  etc.  See  Winer,  p.  278;  Good- 
win's "  Greek  Mood.s  and  Tenses,"  §  17,  note  5.  The 
tenses  in  these  verses  we  suppose  to  be  epistolary  aorist 


and  imperfect,  in  accordance  with  the  very  prnhaWe 
conjecture  that  Epaphroditus  was  the  bearer  of  this 
Epistle. 

>The  Greek  participle  and  the  copula  are  more  ex- 
pressive than  the  finite  verb,  ju.st  as  "is  longing"  in 
English  pictures  the  condition  better  than  the  simple 
"  lonps."     See  Winer,  p.  .'?4S, 

8  The  words  leaX  yap  express  a  strong  confirmation  ; 
they  imply  a  suppressed  thought:  and  (the  informa- 
tion received  was  true)  for,  etc.  See  Iladley's  "  Greek 
Grammar,"  870  a.  d. 


Ch.  1L] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


39 


had   mercy  on  hitu ;  and  not  on  him  only,  but  on  uie 
also,  lest  I  should  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow. 
.     '26  1  sent  him  therefore  the  mole  carefully,  that,  when 
ye  see  him  again,  ye  may  rejoice,  and   that  1  may  be 
the  less  sorrowful. 

29  Keceive  him  therefore  in  the  Lord  with  all  glad- 
ness; and  hold  such  in  reputatiou: 

3j  Because  for  the  work  of  I'hrist  he  was  nigh  unto 
death,  uot  regarding  his  life,  to  supply  your  lack  of 
service  toward  me. 


but  God  had  mercy  on  him;  and  not  on  him  only, 
but  on  me  also,  that  I  might  not  have  sorrow  upon 

28  sorrow.  1  have  sent  him  therefore  the  moie  (iili- 
getitly,  that,  when    ye   see   him   ugaiii,  ye   may  re- 

29  ioice,'and  that  1  may  be  the  less  sorrowful.  Keceive 
hiiu  therefore  in  the  Lord  with  all  j<py  :  and  hold  such 

30  in  houour;  becau.se  for  tlie  work  of  '  t'hrist  he  came 
nigh  unto  death,  hazarding  his  life  to  supply  that 
which  was  lacking  in  your  service  toward  me. 


1  M:iuy  aucieul  uuLhoriiies  read  the  Lord. 


liiive  been  weiglied  down  by  sorrow  upon 
sorrow  had  he  been  taken  away.  To  tlie 
sorrow  of  his  own  inipri.«onment  and  suffer- 
ings would  liave  been  added  the  greater  sor- 
row of  tlie  loss  of  his  dear  friend.  How  beau- 
tifully the  apostle  describes  the  blessing  of 
Epaphrodituss  recovery  as  God's  mercy  to 
himself!  "  He  does  not  boast  of  stoical  apath3% 
us  if  he  had  been  insensible  and  exempt  from 
liuman  affections.''  (Calvin.)  This  whole 
passage  shows  that  the  apostolic  gift  of  mirac- 
ulous power  was  not  one  to  be  used  at  any  time. 
Such  power  was  "the  sign  of  an  apostle" 
(2 Cor.  12:12),  and  was  probably  only  used  as  an 
attestation  qf  their  divine  mission.  Some  di- 
vine intimation  was  undoubtedly  given  when 
its  use  was  permitted.  In  all  other  cases,  the 
apostles  were  relegated  to  the  same  resource 
as  other  Christians;  namely,  the  throne  of 
God,  where  they  could  bring  their  burdens 
and  cast  them  on  the  Lord  (P'<.55:22)  in  prayer, 
and  hope  for  the  same  sustaining  grace  that  is 
granted  to  all  believers. 

28.  I  sent  (."srwO— epistolary  aorist.  See 
on  ver.  2.5.  Therefore— on  account  of  his 
state  of  mind.  The  more  carefully— rather, 
speedify;  that  is.  than  I  should  otherwise 
have  done.  See  Winer,  p.  248.  In  the  last 
part  of  this  verse  we  have  another  exquisite 
phrase,  flowing  right  from  the  apostle's  heart, 
that  ye  may  rejoice,  and  I  be  the  less 
sorrowful.  Paul  could  not  use  the  word 
'rejoice'  of  himself  in  these  circumstances, 
for  his  heart  was  naturally  sad  at  parting  with 
his  companion,  but  he  would  at  least  be  less 
8(^rrowful,  as  he  thought  of  the  joy  of  the 
greeting  in  Philippi  between  these  beloved 
friends.' 

29.  Receive   him   therefore— that  is,  in 


accordance  with  my  purpose  in  sending  him, 
of  making  you  glad.  As  Paul  has  intended  to 
increase  their  joy,  the3'  should  welcome  him 
with  all  gladness  (joy),  and  ahso  in  the  Lord 
— that  is,  with  a  trulj- Christian  greeting  (com- 
pare Rom.  16  :  2) ;  and  hold  such  in  rep- 
utation— or,  honor.  The  apostle  glances  aside 
at  the  whole  brotherhood  of  Christian  workers, 
and  bespeaks  for  them  the  regard  of  the  Phil- 
ippiaiis  ;  at  the  same  time,  his  wider  referenco 
is  but  the  glance  of  his  eye,  as  it  were;  for  ho 
continues  in  the  next  verse  to  speak  of  the 
great  merits  of  Epai)hroditus  and  his  high 
deserts. 

30.  The  sickness  of  Epaphroditus  had  been 
incurred  in  the  way  of  duty.  Paul  does  not 
tell  us  definitely  either  the  cause  or  character 
of  this  sickness;  he  simply  informs  us  that  it 
was  contracted  while  engaged  in  the  Lonl's 
service.  It  seems  most  probable  that  he  had 
brought  it  upon  himself  on  the  journey  to 
Rome  by  his  anxious  desire  to  reach  the  ajuis- 
tle  rather  than  by  his  attendance  upon  the 
apostle  in  his  imprisonment.  It  hardly  com- 
ports with  what  we  know  of  Paul's  generous 
regard  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  others  to 
sui>pose  that  he  would  suffer  Epaphroditus  to 
receive  an  injury  by  over-exertion  in  attend- 
ance upon  himself.  Not  regarding  his  life. 
The  exact  reading  of  the  original  is  here  un- 
certain. Tlie  manuscripts  give  us  two  words, 
both  of  them  peculiar:  "lightly  regarding" 
(wopaPouAcuffafxei'oO.  and  "staking,"  "hazard- 
ing" (irapa3oX€u<r<i(xtio«).  As  the  former  has  the 
more  familiar  sound,  being  a  compound  of  a 
common  verb,  it  is  more  likely  to  have  been 
substituted  for  the  latter  by  some  copyist  than 
the  reverse.  Besides,  the  latter  is  better  at- 
tested, being  found  in  the  best  manuscripts.* 


tin  accordance  with  PauVs  rule  of  placing  >rdXt.  I  c  The  verb  from  which  this  participle  oon.os  occurs  n»- 
either  before  the  verb  or  immediately  after  it,  the  where  else,  but  is  evidently  derived  from  napa$oKo, 
translation  should  be  "that  when  ye  see  bin,,  ye  may  "staking."  "risking."  and  u.eans  "  ">  ^'"•'t;,  '" 
rejoice  a«ain,"  rather  than  as  in  the  Common  and  the  \  hazard,"  just  as  n.p..p.v,<rea.  from  -^P-'^O"^^  l>o«t. 
E^vised  Versions,  "  wheu  ye  see  bim  again."  etc.  '  ing,"  "  bragging."  means  "  to  boast,      to  brag. 


40 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


CHAPTEK  III. 


FINALLY,  my  brethren,  rejoice    in    the  Lord.    To 
write  the  same  things  to  you,  to  me  indeed  is  not 
grevious,  but  for  you  it  u  safe. 


1      Finally,  my  brethren,  i  rejoice  in   the  Lord.    To 
write  the  same  thiugs  to  you,  to  me  indeed  is  not 


1  Ov,  farewell. 


Epaphroditus  is  represented  as  staking  his  life 
as  a  gambler  stakes  his  money.  In  using  this 
word  Paul  did  not  probably  intend  to  convey- 
any  reproach,  but  only  to  mark  his  utter  in- 
trepidity and  unselfishness.  He  had,  with  an 
almost  recklessness  of  holy  zeal,  risked  his 
very  life  for  the  work  of  Christ,  and  the 
prominent  mention  of  this  purpose  of  his  devo- 
tion relieves  the  apostle's  language  of  any 
appearance  of  the  censure  that  might  lie  in  the 
word  he  uses.  In  after  times  certain  brother- 
hoods, who  nursed  the  sick  and  buried  the 
dead,  were  called  parabolnni,  a  name  doubt- 
less derived  from  this  very  passage.  To  sup- 
ply your  lack  of  service  toward  me.  The 
apostle  has  told  us  that  Epaphroditus  fell  sick 
while  engaged  in  the  work  of  Christ,  and  now 
he  defines  more  particularly  the  special  task 
on  which  he  was  bent — that  is,  (supplying  the 
Philippians'  lack  of  service  toward  himself. 
The  original  does  not  contain  the  slight  tinge 
of  reproach  to  the  church  which  the  English 
version  seems  to  convey,  but  suggests  rather  a 
graceful  compliment  botli  to  Epsiphroditus  and 
to  the  Philippians.  Epaphroditus,  he  says, 
sougiit  to  supply  the  lack  of  you  in  the  service 
rendered  me.^  Luther's  version  well  expresses 
the  sense:  "that  he  might  serve  me  in  j'our 
stead"  How  delicately  he  suggests  that  the 
ahsence  of  the  Pliilippians  was  a  sort  of  flaw 
in  the  gift,  which  their  presence  would  have 
made  perfect,  but  which  tlieir  messenger  ex- 
erted himself  most  zealously  to  su)>ply.  With 
such  zeal  and  even  recklessness  did  he  enter 
into  the  spirit  of  the  church  in  their  heartfelt 
contribution,  that  he  exposed  his  life  to  utmost 
danger,  and  by  this  noble  unselfishness  made 
up,  as  it  were,  for  the  lack  of  the  personal 
ministrations  of  the   Philippians  in  bringing 


tiiis  partial  lack,  until  the  whole  transaction 
was  complete.  Erasmus  well  defines  the  mean- 
ing of  the  compound  verb  as  "to  fill  by  addi- 
tion what  was  lacking  to  perfect  fullness." 
Compare  1  Cor.  16:  17;  2  Cor.  11  :  9;  Gal.  6:2; 
Col.  1  :  24.  Menken  well  says  of  the  mission 
of  Epaphroditus:  "  It  was  not  a  trifling  act  for 
a  Christian,  one  of  a  sect  everywhere  spoken 
against,  everywhere  hated  and  oppressed, 
which  found  no  protection  under  Jewish  or 
Gentile  rule,  to  travel  from  Philippi  to  Rome, 
in  order  to  carry  aid  to  a  Christian  teacher,  an 
apostle,  yea,  the  hated  and  now  imprisoned 
Paul,  over  whose  approaching  death  his  ene- 
mies were  already  rejoicing,  and  take  iiis 
stand  publicly  before  the  world,  by  the  side  of 
this  man,  and  say,  'I  am  his  friend." 


Ch.  3  :  1-16.  Warning  Against  False 
Teachers  Enforced  by  a  Reference  to 
His  Own  Example. — Apparently  ahout  to 
bring  his  Epistle  to  a  close  (1),  Paul  is  led, 
by  some  unknown  occasion  of  thouglit  or 
suggestion,  to  utter  an  indignant  warning 
against  fsilso  teachers  (2),  which  serves  to 
introduce  the  contrast  of  his  own  example 
(3).  After  a  rapid  sketch  of  l)is  superior 
claims  from  a  Judaistic  and  legal  point  of 
view  (4-6),  he  declares  his  utter  renunciation 
of  all  such  claims  (7,  8),  and  his  entire  re- 
liance on  Christ  (9,  10),  together  with  his 
humble  striving  after  perfection  (12-14),  and 
urges  his  readers  to  imitate  his  examjile  and 
to  walk  in  unity  (16). 

1.  Finally.  In  Paul's  writings  this  word 
generally  indicates  the  near  close  of  an  Epis- 
tle, and  serves  to  introduce  an  additional  ex- 
hortation, warning,  encouragement,  etc.  See 
ch.  4  :  8;  Eph.  6  :  10;  2  Cor.  18  :  11 ;  2  Thess. 


and  presenting  their  gift.  The  compound  verb  j  3  :  1.  Sometimes  the  concluding  portion  is 
is  appropriately  and  even  elegantly  chosen,  as  I  considerably  prolonged,  as  in  First  Thessa- 
it   hints   that  th^   vacuum  was   only  partial,  !  lonians,  where  it  occupies  two  chapters.     The 


while  the  simple  verb  would   have  suggested 
an   entire  vacuum.      Epaphroditus   filled    up 


use  of  this  word  would  seem  to  indicate  tl»at 
Paul  was  about  to  bring  his  letter  to  a  close. 


'  According  to  the  interpretation  given  above,  the 
personal  pronoun  ufiir  belongs  only  to  the  noun  iicrrep- 
Ifia,  "  lack  of  you,"  while  the  following  genitive  de- 


notes in  what  respect:  "in  respect  to  the  service  ren- 
dered me."    Bee  Winer,  p.  I'JL 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


41 


2  Beware  of  dogs,  beware  of  evil  workers,  beware  of  j    2  irksome,  but  for  you  it  is  safe.      Beware  of  the  dogs, 
the  coucisiou.  beware  of  tbe  evil  workers,  beware  of  ihe  couci&iou  : 


and  the  remarks  about  timothy  and  Epaph- 
roditus  in  the  last  chapter  point  in  the  same 
direction,  for  it  was  Paul's  custom  to  refer  to 
his  feliow-hiborers  at  the  end  of  his  Epistles; 
but  the  abrupt  change  of  tone  in  ver.  2  sug- 
gests that  he  was  diverted  from  that  purpose. 
The  mere  length  of  the  concluding  portion 
would  not  necessarily  indicate  a  change  of 
plan,  but  the  difference  of  manner  is  so  great, 
with  no  ostensible  cause  for  it,  as  to  lead  us  to 
adopt  the  explanation  that  he  met  with  some 
kind  of  interruption,  after  which  he  took  up 
an  entirely  new  train  of  thought.  It  would 
appear  as  if  the  apostle  when  he  wrote 
'finally'  was  about  to  utter  those  general 
exhortations  and  concluding  messages  which 
occupy  4  :  4-23,  since  he  begins  with  the  in- 
junction 'rejoice,'  found  in  4:  4,  and  all  be- 
tween seems  like  a  lengthy  digression.  Re- 
joice. This  joy  is  to  be  in  the  Lord,  not  the 
joy  of  worldlings,  but  "spiritual  gladness." 
(Theodoret. )  How  constantly  this  suggestive 
phrase  drops  from  the  pen  of  tlie  apostle !  '  In 
the  Lord'  his  whole  life  and  thought  moved, 
as  in  their  proper  sphere.  Joy  in  the  Lord  is 
one  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  (Gal.  6  :  22  ; 
compare  Kom.  14  :  17;  1  Thess.  1:6.)  To 
write  the  same  things.  Much  controversy 
has  arisen  over  the  exact  reference  of  these 
words,  and  a  perfectly  satisfactory  decision 
seems  unattainable.  The  simplest  solution  is 
to  refer  tlieni  to  the  preceding  words,  'rejoice 
in  the  Lord,'  but  why  should  he  saj',  for  you 
it  is  safe,  to  have  such  an  injunction  continu- 
ally repeated?  That  word  'safe'  evidently 
implies  a  reference  to  warning  rather  than 
encouraging  words.  Besides,  the  exhortation 
is  not  repeated,  for  it  has  not  appeared  before 
in  this  Epistle.  If  then  we  refer  this  apology 
to  the  following  words,  in  what  way  are  tliey 
re))pated?  They  also  have  notappeared  before 
in  tliis  Epistle.  They  must  then  have  occurred 
in  his  oral  instructions,  in  his  communications 
by  means  of  messengers,  or  in  some  other  let- 
ter. But  in  the  first  two  cases  he  would  not 
have  said  'to  write  the  same  thing.s,'  for  he 
had  not  written  them  before;  but  he  would 
either  have  used  some  word   including  both 


oral  and  written  forms  of  communication,  as 
"to  repeat,  to  advise,"  or  in  some  other  way 
have  suggested  such  a  reference.  Certainly 
the  words,  as  they  stand,  indicate  that  he  had 
written  these  things  before  somewhere,  and 
hence  we  are  driven  to  the  sujiposition  of  some 
written  comtnunication  to  the  Philippians,  no 
longer  in  existence.  Tiiere  seems  in  the  minds 
of  many  a  strong  aversion  against  believing 
that  any  written  words  of  an  apostle  could 
have  been  lost;  but  what  of  the  letter  to  the 
Laodiceans?  Is  it  hard  to  believe  that  Paul 
wrote  more  tlian  once  to  a  church  so  well 
beloved,  as  that  at  Piiilippi,  wliich  had  again 
and  again  contributed  to  his  necessities?  To 
set  this  conclusion  almost  beyond  doubt,  we 
have  in  the  Epistle  of  Polycarp  to  the  Philip- 
pians a  reference  to  the  letters  (plural)  which 
the  Apostle  Paul  wrote  them.  (3 :  2,  and  Zahn's 
Note.)  Admitting  then  the  reference  to  such 
a  previous  written  communication,  we  njust 
suppose  that  Paul  had  therein  warned  the 
Philippians  against  false  teachers.  Something 
now  calls  his  attention  at  this  point  to  the  in- 
sidious efforts  of  those  false  teachers  to  corrupt 
his  disciples  and  destroy  his  teachings,  and  he 
bursts  out  into  a  vehement  warning  against 
them,  prefixing  first  as  an  apology  the  state- 
ment that  he  is  willing  to  write,  and  they  nei^d 
to  hear  the  same  things.  "Men  are  dull  to 
conceive,  hard  to  believe,  apt  to  forget,  slow 
to  practice  heavenly  truths,  and  had  there- 
fore great  need  to  have  them  much  pressed 
and  often  inculcated."  (Trapp. )  With  this 
interpretation  we  must  suppose  a  longer  or 
shorter  pause  between  the  two  sentences  in 
this  verse,  after  wliich  the  apostle  proceeds  in 
an  entirely  different  strain.  Another  notable 
example  of  such  an  entire  change  of  manner 
is  found  in  the  concluding  portion  of  Second 
Corinthians,  commencing  at  chapter  10. 

2.  The  abruptness  with  which  these  warn- 
ings are  introduced  and  their  peculiar  form, 
gives  plausibility  to  Meyer's  view,  that  they 
are  couched  in  the  very  same  words  previously 
employed.  Beware' — rather,  behold.  Com- 
pare Mark  4:  24;  ICor.  1  :  26;  10:  18;  2Jolin8. 
This  meaning,  however,  involves  the  other: 


1 '  Beware '  would  require  the  proposition  owd  after  the  verb.    See  Mark  8  :  15  ;  12  :  38. 


42 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


"see  and  you  will  beware."  (Bengel.)  It  is 
tlirice  repeated  in  the  intensity  of  his  feeling, 
"like  three  peals  of  a  trumpet."  Of  (^Aei) 
dogs.     (Revised  Version.) 

Some  commentators  have  tried  to  distinguish 
three  classes  of  opponents  in  this  threefold 
description,  but  we  are  rather  to  see  three  dif- 
ferent designations  of  the  same  hostile  party, 
describing  them  according  to  their  character, 
activity,  and  creed.  They  are  "Jews,  who 
preach  at  the  same  time  both  Christianity 
and  Judaism,  corrupting  the  gt)spel."  (Chry- 
sostom.)  First,  we  have  their  character  indi- 
cated by  the  contemptuous  term  '  dogs.'  The 
dog  is  not  the  friend  and  companion  of  man 
in  the  Orient,  as  he  is  among  Western  nations. 
There  he  is  an  object  of  utter  contempt.  He 
roams  the  streets,  without  a  home  or  master, 
lives  on  vile  refuse,  quarrels  with  other  curs, 
and  snaps  viciously  at  every  passer-by.  Hence 
in  all  Oriental  literature  and  language  'dog' 
is  a  most  opprobious  epithet.  The  Moham- 
medans at  this  day  apply  it  to  Christians;  the 
ancient  Jews  applied  it  to  all  Gentiles  ;  while 
the  Greek  also  used  the  word  contemptuously, 
though  not  applying  it  to  any  special  nation 
or  religion.  A  hint  of  an  occasionally  difterent 
and  higher  view  of  the  dog  is  aflbrded  in  the 
sLory  of  Ulysses'  dog  Argos.  (Odyssey  17, 
290,  seq.  Compare  also  ^schylus  "Agam- 
emnon" 590.)  By  the  term  'dog'  the  Jews 
meant  to  suggest  the  idea  of  impurity,  and 
hence  applied  it  to  all  foreigners,  who  were  at 
least  ceremonially  impure  and  profane.  (Deut. 
23;  18;  Matt.  15:26.)  In  the  mouth  of  a  Grcck  the 
word  symbolized  "impudence."  Paul  now 
retorts  upon  these  Jewish  teachers  the  very 
word  of  reproach  they  were  accustomed  to 
hurl  at  the  Gentiles.  "  They  are  now  called 
dogs,  who  are  unwilling  to  be  the  Israel  of 
God."  (Bengel.)  To  the  foregoing  figurative 
description  of  their  character,  he  now  adds  a 
literal  description  of  their  activity'.  Evil 
workers.  Compare  2  Cor.  11  :  13.  The  well- 
known  Jewish  zeal  and  activity  (Rom.  lo:  2)  char- 
acterized this  dangerous  party  in  the  Christian 
Church,  and  the  results  of  this  activity  were  as 
bad  as  that  of  the  Pharisees,  who  compassed 
sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte  ;  and  made 
him  twofold  more  a  son  of  hell  than  them- 
selves. (Mait.2S:i5.)    They  Were  '  cvil  workers,' 


for  they  were  working  against  God.  "They 
work,  but  for  a  bad  end,  and  a  work  that  is 
much  worse  than  idleness,  for  they  tear  up  the 
foundations  that  have  been  well  laid."  (Clip'- 
so.stom.)  Lastly,  he  styles  them  the  cou- 
cision,  in  contemptuous  allusion  to  their 
peculiar  pride  and  boast.  They  boasted  of 
their  circumcision,  but  Paul  would  not  allow 
them  this  noble  term,  and  so  by  a  sarcastic 
paranomasia  he  describes  them  astheconcioion, 
the  mutilation,  ("curti  Judaei,"  "Hor.  Sat." 
1,  9,  70.)  The  corresponding  verb  is  used  by 
the  Septuagint  to  describe  such  cuttings  and 
mutilations  as  were  forbidden  by  the  Mosaic 

law.    (Lev.21:5;    1  Kings   18  ;  28.)    HcnCC  Paul  Would 

indicate  by  the  use  of  this  term,  that  the  cir- 
cumcision in  which  they  gloried  was,  afterall, 
nothing  but  a  mutilation  of  the  body,  such  as 
the  heathen  delighted  in.  "  They  did  nothing 
but  to  cut  their  flesh."  (Chrysostom.)  There 
was  nothing  more  to  it,  no  spiritual  signifi- 
cance, such  as  alwaj's  was  the  case  with  true 
circumcision,  even  under  the   Old  Covenant. 

(Deut.  10:  16  ;  30:  6;  Jer.  4:4  ;  Rom.  2:  28,  29.)    Paul    Spcaks 

in  this  contem.ptuous  way  of  circumcision,  be- 
cause in  the  case  of  these  false  teachers  it  had 
lost  all  spiritual  significance  and  worth  ;  at  the 
same  time  he  never  combats  the  observance  of 
the  rite  among  born  Jews  (i  cor.  7:i8, 19),  but 
only  the  thrusting  of  it  upon  the  Gentiles 
(Gal.  5: 1,2),  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel. 
In  the  case  of  Timothy,  Paul  himself  per- 
formed the  rite,  in  order  to  give  him  a  greater 
influence  over  the  Jews  (Acts  le :  3) ;  but  he  reso- 
lutely refused  to  allow  Titus,  a  Gentile,  to  be 
circumcised  (Gai.  2:3.5),  and  in  this  he  was  sup- 
ported by  the  other  apostles,  who  in  the  cele- 
brated conference  at  Jerusalem  drew  up  a  sort 
of  programme  for  the  Gentile  churches,  in 
which  circumcision  is  not  even  mentioned. 
(Acts  15: 23-29.)  For  a  Still  more  sarcastic  allusion 
to  circumcision,  see  Gal.  5  :  12.  Such  plays  on 
words  are  common  to  all  languages.  Meyer 
refers  to  Luther's  tendency  in  this  direction. 
They  are  more  frequent  in  Paul's  writings 
than  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament.  (See 
Winer,  p.  636.) 

The  party  here  referred  to  cannot  be  those 
mentioned  in  1  :  15,  because  he  does  not  speak 
of  a  danger  threatening  the  church  in  Rome, 
but  of   a  danger  menacing  the  Philippians 


1  The  article  indicates  a  well-known  class. 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


43 


3  For  we  are  the  circumcision,  which  worship  God  in 
the  spirit,  anil  rijoice  iu  Christ  Jesus,  and  nave  no 
contiiieiice  in  tliu  lli-sh. 

4  Though  J  might  also  have  contideiice  in  the  flesh. 
If  any  other  uian  thiuketh  that  he  haih  whereof  he 
might  trust  iti  the  llesh,  1  more: 


3  for  we  are  the  circumcision,  who  worship  1/y  the 
Spirit  of  (jod,  and  glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  and    have 

4  no  confidence  in  the  tlesli ;  tliough  1  myself  might 
have  contitlence  even  in  the  tlesh :  il  any  oiher 
man   ^  thiuiceth  to   have  contidence  iu   the  flesh,  I 


1  Or,  aeemetk. 


themselves  ;  nor  of  a  peculiar  phase  of  Chris- 
tian teacliing,  but  of  anti-Christian  teacliing, 
whose  aim  was  to  lead  the  Gentile  Christians 
over  to  Judaism.  It  was  undoubtedly  the 
same  party  against  which  he  inveighs  so  vehe- 
mently in  the  letter  to  the  Galatians,  only  here 
they  had  not  yet  found  a  foothold  as  in  Gala- 
tia,  because  had  that  been  the  case,  Paul  would 
surely  have  blamed  the  Philippians,  as  he  did 
the  Galatians ;  but  he  does  not  allude  to  a 
single  trace  of  doctrinal  impurity  in  the  former 
church.  The  danger  in  their  case  was  a  threat- 
ening danger.  Whether  the  Jewish  party 
liad  3'et  appeared  there,  is  uncertain,  but  it  is 
evident  that  Paul  apprehended  its  immediate 
advent,  if  it  was  not  already  present.  When 
it  is  remembered  that  the  violent  antagonism 
of  the  Jews  drove  him  out  of  tlie  neighboring 
city  of  Tliessalonica,  on  his  first  appearance 
there,  and  even  pursued  him  to  the  city  of 
Berea,  and  drove  him  away  from  there  also 
(Acts  17:514),  it  will  not  sccm  at  all  strange  tliat 
Paul  should  have  felt  called  upon  to  warn  the 
Philippians  most  earnestly  against  this  insidi- 
ous Jewish  activity. 

3.  He  now  proceeds  to  show  why  he  has 
characterized  those  Judaizers  as  'the  con- 
cision,' by  describing  the  true  circumcision. 
For  we,  emphatic  by  position  ;  not  they,  but 
we — whether  circumcised  in  the  flesh  or  not 
— who  are  described  in  the  following  words: 
"  If  you  must  seek  circumcision,  he  .«ays,  you 
will  find  it  among  us  who  worship  (?od  in 
spirit."  (Chrysostom.)  Since  Christ  has  come 
who  is  "  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness" 
(Rom.  10:4),  and  has  abrogated  the  old  circum- 
cision with  all  the  rest  of  the  ceremonial  law 
(Col.  3:11),  the  onl3'  genuine  circumcision  is  that 
of  the  heart.  (coi.2:ii.)  "  Bodily  circumcision 
was  now  useless,  nay  hurtful."  (Bengel.)  In 
the  three  following  clauses,  which  form  an 
anti-climax,  the  features  of  the  truly  circum- 
cised are  delineated.  Which  worship  God 
in  the  Spirit— or,  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
(Revised  Version.)  This  rendering,  though 
an  unusual  form  of  expression,  is  founded  upon 
a  better  reading  in  the  Greek  than   that  on 


which  the  Common  Version  is  based.  Tlie 
verb  (Aarpeuoi'Tes)  is  the  ordinary,  and  almost 
technical  one  for  describing  the  peculiar  wor- 
ship   of    Israel     (Lukea.a?;  Acis^B:?;  Heb.:9:9;  10:2; 

Rom. 9:*),  and  so  quietly  suggests,  that  the  true 
form  of  worship,  which  was  once  characteristic 
of  the  Jewisli  people  alone,  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  Christian  Churcli.  According  to 
Paul,  Christianity  is  the  true  succes.sor  of 
Judaism  ;  Christians  possess  the  true  circum- 
cision, and  ofler  the  true  worship.  Assi.<ted  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  "  helpetii  our  infirmi- 
ties "  (Rom.  8:2fi),  Christians  are  enabled  to 
offer  that  worship  which  the  Father  seeks,  a 
worship  unfettered  by  forms  or  iilaces;  which 
may  he  presented  anywhere  and  at  any  time, 
for  which  the  open  field  is  a  sanctuary  as  well 
as  temple  or  church,  and  whose  chief  features 
are  spirituality  and  truth.  (john4:23. 24;  Rom.s.) 
And  rejoice  (glory)  in  Christ  Jesus — not 
in  anything  outwiird,  in  distinctions  and 
badges  and  "carnal  ordinances,  imposed  until 
the  time  of  reformation  "  (Hei>.  9:io),  or  in  works 
of  rigliteousness  (Gill. 2:16),  but  in  him  who  is 
the  fountain  of  our  spiritual  life.  (Gai.6:i4.) 
Compare  Jer.  9  :  23,  24.  Having  in  Christ  all 
that  was  tyi)ified  in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  Old  Covenant,  possessing  in  him  the  sub- 
stance itself,  ihey  could  not,  like  those  Juda- 
izers, esteem  so  highly  the  ancient  and  vener- 
able, but  already  vanishing  shsidows  of  things 
to  come.  Even  the  very  privileges  of  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  itself  were  theirs.  (6;ii. 
3:14.)  As  the  spiritual  had  now  become  the 
only  ground  of  distinction,  the  true  Israel  of 
God  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  either 
in  circumcision,  or  in  any  of  tlie  rites,  cere- 
monies, and  privileges  connected  with  it. 
Tho.se  false  teachers  reposed  their  whole  trust 
in  the  flesh,  and  taught  others  to  do  the  same 
(Grii.6:i3);  but  the  true  people  of  God  abjure 
all  such  confidence. 

4.  Though  I  {myself)  might  also  have 
confidence  in  the  flesh.  He  singles  himself 
out  as  ottering  an  exception,  in  certain  re- 
spects, to  those  described  above.  That  excep- 
tion consists  in  his  ability  to  boast  of  Jewish 


44 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  Ill 


5  Circuuicised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of  Israel, 
of  the  tribe  of  iseujauiiu,  a  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews; 
as  touchiug  the  law,  a  rbarisee  ; 


5  yet  more  :  circumcised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock 
of  Israel,  of   the   iribe  of   ISeujamrii,  a  Hebrew  of 


prerogatives,  if  they  were  of  any  wortli.  Paul 
seeks  in  the  following  enumeration  of  his 
special  claims,  to  prove  that  his  hostility  to 
Judaistic  teaching  does  not  spring  from  envy. 
If  he  iiad  been  a  Gentile,  or  even  if  as  a  Jew 
he  liad  possessed  only  inferior  claims,  his  op- 
position might  with  more  reason  be  credited 
to  jealousy;  but  the  fact  was  that  none  could 
boast  of  higher  Jewish  claims  than  he,  and 
few  could  even  equal  him.  In  2  Cor.  11  :  18, 
seq.,  there  is  a  striking  resemblance  to  this 
passage,  both  in  substance  and  tone,  although 
the  former  is  a  still  more  hot  and  indignant 
arraignment  of  his  adversaries,  "The  first  be- 
longs to  the  crisis  of  the  struggle,  the  other  to 
its  close."  In  Rom.  11 : 1  there  is  a  still  briefer 
appeal  to  his  Jewish  claims.  The  words  of  the 
previous  clause  'having  no  C(jnfidence  in  the 
flesh'  seem  to  have  started  the  apostle  on  this 
line  of  self-defense.  This  "going  off  at  a 
word,"  as  it  is  expressively  described  by 
Paley,  is  especially  characteristic  of  Paul's 
writings.  ("  Horae  Paulinse,"  vi.,  3. )  'Might 
also  have,'  etc.  Neither  the  Common  nor 
the  Revised  Version  exactly  reproduces  the 
thought.  The  apostle  does  not  say  he  '  might 
have,'  but  'has.'  The  Greek,  literally,  is 
"though  I,  having  confidence  also  in  the 
flesh."  He  actually  possesses  all  these  claims, 
but  renounces  them  as  of  no  worth. ^  "Hav- 
ing, not  using."  (Bengel.)  For  the  moment, 
Paul  proceeds  to  state  these  claims  as  if  they 
were  something  real.  He  uses  an  orgiimentum, 
ad  hoTninem,  assumes  the  standpoint  of  his 
adversaries,  and  overthrows  them  with  their 
own  weapons.  If  one  who  had  such  superior 
Jewishclaimscouldcountthetn  worthless,  what 
must  be  said  of  the  folly  of  those  Judaizers  who 
extol  so  highly  their  own  inferior  merits?  If 
any  man  thinketh— that  is.  supposeth  (Matt. 
3:9)— that  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust. 
All  these  words  are  the  translation  of  but  a 
single  word  in  the  Greek,  meaning  "to trust" 
(neiroWevau) .  The  apostle  Simply  sa.vs,  '-'if  any 
other  supposeth  he  can  trust  in  the  flesh,  I 
more,"  for  the  reasons  given  below,  especially 
ver,  6. 


5.  He  describes  firsthis  hereditary  privileges, 
and  then  his  personal  religious  char;icLeri»Lics. 
Compare  2  Cor.  11  :  2'2,  seq.  The  several 
points  are  enumerated  very  briefly  "on  the 
fingers,  as  it  were."  (Bengel.)  Circumcised 
the  eighth  day.  He  was  then  neither  an  Ish- 
maelite,  who  would  have  been  circumcised  at 
tlie  age  of  thirteen,  nor  a  proselyte,  who  would 
have  received  circumcision  in  mature  life.  In 
his  case,  the  sacred  rite,  of  which  the  Jews 
were  always  so  proud,  had  been  received  in 
its  perfection.  (oen.  n  :  la;  Lev.  12  ;:i.)  Of  the 
stock  of  Israel.  Paul  might  have  been  the 
son  of  a  proselyte,  who,  though  he  had  not 
received  the  rite  of  circumcision  in  its  per- 
fection himself,  desired  to  bestow  that  privi- 
lege upon  his  son,  and  had  circumcised  him 
the  eighth  day  ;  and  hence  he  says,  in  oppo- 
sition to  any  such  state  of  the  case,  that  he 
was  of  Israelitish  stock ;  that  is,  his  parents 
were  also  of  the  privileged  race.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin  —  of  that  tribe  which 
alone  had  stood  by  the  sideof  Judah  in  stead- 
fast loyalty  to  the  throne  of  David  and  to  the 
worsiiip  of  Jehovah,  and  on  whose  soil  stood 
the  Holy  City  and  the  temple.  A  Hebrew 
of  the  Hebrews  completes  the  notion  of  his 
purity  of  lineage,  by  stating  that  his  ancestors 
were  all  of  the  Hebrew  race  from  time  im- 
memorial. There  had  been  no  admixture  of 
Gentile  blood  in  any  of  the  past  generations. 
If,  as  has  been  conjectured  from  this  language, 
his  opponents  were  not  of  pure  Jewish  extrac- 
tion, these  features  of  Paul's  hereditary  claims 
must  have  given  a  terrible  blow  to  their 
haughty  pretensions  and  justified  his  claitri  of 
superiority  from  a  Jewish  standpoint.  It  is, 
however,  in  the  following  claims,  perhaps, 
that  we  maj'  discover  the  special  reason  of 
his  statement  that  if  anj'  one  presumes  to 
trust  in  the  flesh,  he  more.  As  an  adherent 
of  the  Ancient  Covenant,  ho  had  lived  a  most 
exemplary  religious  life.  First  of  all,  as 
touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee  — a  metnber 
of  the  "straitest  seet"  among  the  Jews.  Com- 
pare Acts  26  :  5.  They  were  noted  for  their 
devotion  to  the  law,  and  wore  the  orthodox 


1  Had  Paul  used  the  parlieiiile  of  the  previous  clause 
(ireiroiflcut)  he  would  have  repre-ented  himself  as  act- 
ually putting  confidcuce  in  the  flesh,  and  so  he  varies 


the  expression  and  says  (?)ca»'  neiToi0ri(ri.v),  "having  a 
confidence,"  which  he  niisht  use,  and  once  did  most 
highly  esteem,  but  now  reuoiiuces. 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIAN8. 


45 


G  Concerning  zeal,  persecuting  the  church;  touching 
the  ligliteousuess  wiiich  is  in  the  law,  blameless. 

7  but  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  i  counted 
loss  lor  Clirist. 

8  Y'ea  douhtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Chiist  Jesus  my 
Lord:  fur  wimm  1  have  sulfcred  the  loss  of  all  things, 
and  do  count  luem  Out  dung,  that  1  may  wiu  Christ, 


6  Hebrews;  as  touching  tlie  law,  a  I'harisoe;  as  touch- 
ing zeal,  iH-rsecuiing  the  church;  as  touching  ihe 
righteousness  which  is  in  tlie  law,  found  hlauiclcss. 

7  liowbeit    what    things    were    i  gain    to    me,    these 

8  have  1  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea  verily,  and  I 
couut  all  things  to  be  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  .lesus  my  Lord:  for  whom  I 
suH'ercd  the  loss  of   all  things,  and  do  couut  them 


1  Gr.  gains. 


party  in  the  nation.  See  Josephus  "Life," 
'66;  "Wars  of  the  Jews,"  ii.,  8,  1-4.  The  apos- 
tle was  not  only  a  Pharisee  himself,  but  the 
son  of  Pharisees;  that  is,  he  had  a  Piiurisaic 
ancestry  for  generations  perhaps  (Acts  '28  :  6 ; 
see  Meyer's  note),  and  had  been  educated  in 
Jerusalem  in  the  most  famous  school  of  that 
sect,  "  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel."     (Acta  2-2: 3.) 

6.  As  a  Pharisee  his  zeal  had  been  exhibited 
in  a  most  convincing  way.  Concerning  zeal, 
per-ecuting  tlie  church.  This  he  speaks  of 
in  the  present  tense,  as  if  that  dreadful  ser- 
vice, of  which  he  had  so  bitterly  repented 
(1  Cor.  15 : 9 ;  1  Tim.  1 :  13),  were  Still  a  present  claim 
upon  Jewish  regard,  as  indeed  it  would  be,  if 
he  had  remained  a  Jew.  If,  then,  any  could 
claim  high  distinction  in  Jewish  estimation, 
he,  as  a  persecutor  of  the  church,  could  equal 
any  and  surpass  most  of  his  Pharisaic  rivals. 
Fiiiiilly,  he  says,  touching  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  in  the  law,— that  is,  consists 
in  obedience  to  the  mere  letter,  — blameless 
— of  cotirse,  only  from  a  legal  standpoint;  and 
Paul  gives  a  very  different  account  of  himself 
from  the  higher  Christian  standjioint.  See 
Rom.  7.  "There  is  a  twofold  righteousness 
of  the  law.  The  one  of  these  is  spiritual, 
consisting  in  the  perfect  love  of  God  and  of 
our  neighbors;  this  is  contained  in  the  doc- 
trinal statement,  hut  was  never  actually  found 
in  the  life  of  any  individual.  The  other  is 
righteousness  according  to  the  letter,  and  niay 
appear  in  the  sight  of  men."  (Calvin.)  From 
the  standpoint  of  his  opponents,  what  more 
could  he  said  in  any  one's  favor?  His  hered- 
itary claims  Avere  superior  to  those  of  most 
Jews,  while  his  conduct  left  nothing  to  be  de- 
sired. He  was  a  Pharisee,  a  zealous  Pharisee, 
a  blameless  Pharisee.  In  his  adherence  to  the 
law,  his  zeal  for  the  law,  observance  of  the 
law,  few  could  equal,  none  surpass  him. 

7.  All  these  things  had  been  an  advantage 
to  him  as  a  Jew,  and  so  he  stiys :  What  things 
were  gain  to  me — not  snppnsrd  gain,  but 
real  gain.     They  had  given  him  reputation 


among  the  people,  laid  the  foundation  of  his 
hopes  and  aspirations,  and,  above  all,  salisiied 
his  conscience,  in  the  days  when  the  spiritual 
nature  of  God's  demands  was  not  yet  revealed 
to  him.  But  now  all  these  advantsiges  were  of 
no  value  in  his  siglit.  Those  I  counted  loss 
for  Christ.  The  Revised  Version  translates 
"have  I  counted  loss."  The  perfect  tense  sug- 
gests the  idea  that  he  began  at  the  time  of  his 
conversion,  and  has  continued  to  the  present 
moment  to  estimate  them  so.  Observe  the 
significance  of  the  change  from  the  plural 
"gains,"  as  in  the  margin  of  the  Revised  Ver- 
sion, to  the  singular  '  loss.'  The  plural  suggests 
the  various  elements  of  gain  which  had  grown 
up  out  of  those  high  claims,  while  the  singular 
hints  that  he  lumps  them  all  together  as  a  single 
item  of  loss.  The  things  he  had  once  so  pains- 
takingly reckoned  up  one  by  one  as  gains,  he 
now  dismisses  at  once  with  a  single  word, 
'loss.'  "When  he  spoke  of  'gain,'  he  said, 
'  they  were  gain.'  But  when  he  spoke  of  loss, 
'I  counted.'  And  this  rightly;  for  the 
former  was  naturally  so,  but  the  latter  be- 
came so  'from  my  opinion.'  "  (Chrysostom.) 
•For  Christ.'  Below,  ver.  8-11,  he  explains 
more  fully  whj'  he  counts  them  loss  for  Christ's 
sake.  If  he  was  going  to  possess  Christ,  he 
must  renounce  all  otiier  claims,  which  would 
be  nothing  but  a  hindrance  to  his  perfect  trust 
in  him.  See  Gal.  5  :  2-4.  He  must  part  with 
all  other  treasures  for  the  sake  of  this  one 
"pearl  of  great  price."  (M.m.  13:45. 46.)  "Paul 
is  content  to  part  with  a  sky  full  of  stars  for 
one  Sun  of  righteousness."  (Trapp.)  "Seest 
thou,  how  everywhere  he  calls  it  loss,  not  ab- 
solutely, but  for  Christ.  .  .  .  When  the  sun 
shines  it  is  loss  to  sit  in  candle  light."  (Chry- 
sostom.) 

8.  He  unfolds  still  farther  the  .statement  of 
ver.  7,  emphasizing  and  amplifying  it.  Yea 
doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  bat 
loss.  The  emphasis  is  on  the  words  'all 
things,'  which  extend  thescopeof  his  previous 
statement,  making  it  embrace  every  conceiv- 


46 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  hi. 


9  And  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  right- 
eousness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  tliat  which  is  through 
the  laith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  (jod 
by  faith: 


9  but  refuse,  that  I  may  gain  Christ,  and  be  found 
in  hiiu,  1  not  having  a  righteousness  of  my  own, 
eren  that  whicli  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  faith  in  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is 


1  Or,  not  having  as  my  rigkteousneaa  that  which  it  of  the  law. 


able  cliiirn  and  merit  from  a  human  stand- 
point. Wiiatever  lie  might  once  have  counted 
gain,  he  now  counts  but  loss.  For  the  ex- 
cellency of  the  knowledge — because  tins 
knowledge  surpasses  everything  else  in  value. 
Of  Christ  Jesus — who  has  now  become  the 
greatest  gain  of  his  life.  In  the  glow  of  heart- 
felt gratitude  he  adds  the  words  my  Lord. 
This  clause  begins  the  unfolding  of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words  'for  Christ'  in  the  previous 
verse.  There  he  simply  said  'for  Christ,' 
here  he  expands  those  words  into  'for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,' 
and  below,  ver.  10,  he  develops  the  special 
features  of  this  knowledge.  For  whom  I  have 
suffered  the  loss  of  all  things.  Paul  has 
not  only  counted  all  things  loss,  but  has  actu- 
ally suffered  the  loss  of  all  things.^  And  yet 
he  does  not  regret  it,  for  intensifying  his 
previous  expression  he  says,  and  do  count 
them  but  dung  (or,  refuse,  the  Kevised 
Version).  The  word  translated  dung  is  a 
common  one  in  the  Greek,  and  its  general 
meaning  well  established;  but  its  exact  ety- 
mology is  uncertain,  some  deriving  it  from  a 
phrase  signifying  "to  throw  to  the  dogs," 
others  from  a  word  meaning  dung.  It  signi- 
fies all  kinds  of  refuse,  rubbish,  sweepings, 
husks,  dung,  etc.  Thus  intensely  did  Paul 
repudiate  all  those  things  he  once  set  so  much 
store  by;  he  counted  them  as  mere  'refuse,' 
rubbish,  as  something  not  only  to  be  lightlj' 
esteemed,  but  also  to  be  utterly  cast  out  of  his 
heart,  just  as  dung  is  with  loatliing  swept  out 
of  doors.  "Since  it  is  likely  they  would  say 
tliat  tiie  righteousness  wiiich  comes  from  toil  is 
tlie  greater,  he  shows  that  it  is  dung  in  compari- 
son with  the  other."  (Chrysostom.)  "Paul's 
sublime  spirit  counts  all  dung,  yet  is  content, 
for  Christ,  to  be  counted  the  offscouring  of  all 
things."  (Trapp.)  That  I  may  win  Christ. 
He  already  has  Christ,  but  he  wishes  to  pos 


liar,suggestedby  the  words  "loss"  and  "gain," 
on  which  he  has  been  ringingso  many  changes. 
By  winning  Christ  he  means  becoming  so 
united  to  him  that  he  can  say,  "He  is  mine," 
having  him  as  his  life,  drawing  nourishment 
from  him  as  the  branch  from  the  vine,  pos- 
sessing him  as  his  "righteousness,  wisdom, 
sanctitication,  and  redemption,"  as  every- 
thing the  believer  desires  and  needs.  Since  it 
is  impossible  to  win  Christ  in  this  way  and 
still  to  hold  on  to  those  Jewish  claims,  he  re- 
nounces them  all,  and  renounces  them  gladly 
— yea,  with  something  of  loathing. 

9.  In  this  and  the  following  verses  we  have 
a  brief  but  noble  description  of  true  right- 
eousness. And  be  found  in  him — the  result 
of  his  winning  Christ.  His  own  unworthy 
self  will  no  longer  appear,  but  will  be  swal- 
lowed up,  as  it  were,  in  Christ,  who  has  taken 
his  place  before  the  tribunal  of  divine  justice. 
God  no  longer  looks  at  the  sinner  who  has 
won  Christ,  but  sees  only  Christ  and  his 
righteousness.  That  this  is  the  thought  ap- 
pears from  the  following  words:  not  having 
mine  own  righteousness — not  possessing 
any  righteousness  that  I  might  claim  as  my 
own  (Rom.  10:3),  sucli,  for  instance,  as  he  once 
boasted  of  when  a  Pharisee,  a  righteousness 
which  is  of  the  law— that  is,  flows  from  obe- 
dience to  the  law  ;  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  (or,  in)  Christ— that  righteous- 
ness which  God  bestows,  and  which  is  appro- 
priated by  faith.'-'  God's  righteousness  is  op- 
posed to  my  righteousness,  faith  to  law,  and 
'through  faith'  and  'upon  faith'  (see  note  be- 
low) to  'from  law.'  Legal  righteousness  looks 
to  the  law  to  justify,  and  hence  it  is  a  righteous- 
ness of  the  law,  elsewhere  described  also  as  "  bj" 
works."  Christian  righteousness,  on  the  con- 
trary, depends  on  faith,  not,  however,  as  a 
source  of  justification — for  God  alone  is  this — 
but  as  a  means  and  as  a  condition,  for  faith  is 


sess  him  more  richly.    The  word  '  win  '  is  pecu-  |  both  the  appropriating  medium  and  the  essen- 


iThe  article  before  'all  things'  in  tlie  Greek  (to 
irai'Ta)  points  out  the  things  already  mentioned  or  sug- 
gested, "my  all,"  as  we  sometimes  say  in  English. 

2  The  various  Greek  prepositions  are  used  with  the 
nicest  discrimination.    The  legal  righteousness  ia  de- 


scribed as  'of  the  law,'  flowing  from  the  law  as  its 
source;  Christian  righteousness  as  '  of  God,' its  source, 
'through  faith,' the  medium  of  its  appropriation,  and 
finally  '  upon  faith'  (see  margin  of  Revised  Version) 
its  basis  or  condition. 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


47 


10  That  I  may  know  liiiu,  and  the  power  of  his  resur-     10  from  God  '  by  faith :  that  I  may  know  hiiii,  and  the 
rectiou,  and  thu  fi'llowship  of  his  suBcriugs,  beiug  luade  power  of   his   re>urrectiini,   and    llie    fellowship  of 

Conformable  unto  his  deaih  ;  |        liis  sulTerings,  becoming  conformed  unto  his  death  ; 

2  Or.  upon. 


tial  condition  of  true  righteousness.  It  may  be 
looked  at  in  both  these  lights,  and  Paul  com- 
bines the  two  '  through  faith '  and  '  upon 
faith'  fur  the  sake  of  inipiirting  that  fullness 
whicli  he  delights  to  give  to  such  delinitions. 
And  finally  this  faith  is  described  as  'of 
Christ'  or  '  in  Christ,'  because  faith  rests  upon 
Christ  and  his  work  as  its  proper  object.  It 
will  be  seen  that  Paul  has  here  given  us  a 
most  comprehensive  description  of  the  riglit- 
eousness  of  faith,  both  in  its  negative  and  pos- 
itive aspects. 

10.  As  the  preceding  verse  had  unfolded 
this  new  experience  of  Paul  on  the  side  of 
righteousness,  so  this  verse  unfolds  it  on  the 
side  of  knowledge,  and  thus  amplifies  the 
phrase  'fur  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ.'  That  I  may  know  him — not  in 
any  merely  intellectual  or  speculative  way, 
but  by  an  experimental  and  .saving  knowl- 
edge, such  knowledge  as  only  comes  from 
union  with  Christ — "being  found  in  him." 
Union  with  Christ  brings  to  the  soul  a  knowl- 
edge such  as  Paul  had,  when  he  exclaimed: 
"I  know  iiim  whom  I  have  believed"  (iTim. 
1 :  12)— a  knowledge  that  ever  grows  richer  and 
deeper.  "She  that  touched  the  tassel  of  his 
robe  had  a  knowledge  of  Christ  deeper  and 
truer  than  the  crowds  that  thronged  about 
liim;  for  'virtue'  had  come  out  of  him,  and 
she  felt  it  in  herself."  Two  features  of  tiiis 
knowledge,  which  were  especially  important 
ill  Paul's  estimation,  are  now  dwelt  upon. 
First,  the  knowledge  of  the  power  of  his 
resurrection — not  simply  the  knowledge  of 
his  resurrection.  The  latter  an  unbeliever 
might  have,  for  he  might  accept  the  resurrec- 
tion as  an  historical  fact,  but  the  power  of  his 
resurrection  only  the  believer  can  know.  This 
power  which  the  resurrection  exerts  over  the 
Christian  is  not  to  be  understood  in  any  lim- 
ited sense,  but  in  all  its  fullness.  The  resur- 
rection of  Christ  was  the  divine  seal  set  upon 
Christ's  authority  (Rom.  i:4),  the  pledge  of  our 

redemption     (Eoi...  4:24,  25;   i.:10;    8:34;    1  Cor.  15  :  17), 

and  the  prophecy  of  our  future  resurrection 
(Rom.  8: 11);  and  thereby  has  become  a  most 
quickening    and    vital    power    in   our    lives. 


(Rom.  6  :  4;  1  Cor.  6  :  14,  seq. ;  Eph.  2  ;5,  6;  Col.  3:  l.Beq.)    Tllis 

wondrous  power  of  the  resurrection  Paul 
wished  to  know  and  feel  more  and  more.  The 
second  element  of  this  knowledge  was  the 
fellowship  of  his  sufl'erings — that  is,  to 
realize  in  all  his  own  sufferings  that  he  was 
walking  in  the  footsteps  of  his  Lord.  He  did 
not  desire  to  know  Christ's  suffering.- ;  that  is, 
to  suffer  in  the  same  way — that  could  not  be — 
but  the  fellowship  of  them,  the  sense  of  fellow- 
ship with  Christ  in  his  trials;  so  that  as  the 
"Captain  of  our  salvation"  was  "made  per- 
fect through  suffering,"  he  the  disciple  might 
also  be;  and  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were 
the  salvation  of  the  church,  so  he  might,  in  a 
sense,  share  in  that  work  by  filling  up  the 
sufferings  that  remain,  (coi.  1:24.)  Compare 
2  Cor.  1:5;  Matt.  15  :  23.  "Oil,  how  great 
is  the  dignity  of  suffering!"  (Ciirysostom.) 
Compare  1:29;  2:17.  The  knowledge  of  the 
fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings  depends  on 
the  previous  knowledge  of  the  power  of  his 
resurrection,  for  it  is  this  latter  tiiat  gives 
assurance  of  a  future  life,  tmd  it  is  only  the 
hope  of  a  future  life  that  can  give  any  glory 
or  meaning  to  suffering.  It  is  the  mighty 
evidential  power  of  our  Lord's  resurrection 
that  maintains  otir  faith  in  the  future  life 
strong  and  unwavering.  E.\cept  for  that,  we 
should  only  guess  and  hope,  or  doubt  and  de- 
spair. Now,  without  this  strong  unquestion- 
ing faith  in  the  future  life,  we  cannot  know 
the  fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings,  for  the 
very  e.ssence  of  such  fellowship  is  the  convic- 
tion that  God  has  put  us  into  the  furnace  of 
aflHiction,  as  he  did  the  Master,  to  prepare  us 
for  his  glory.  Hence  it  is  that  Paul  presents 
these  twoelements  of  knowledge  in  thisorder, 
which  is  the  order  of  experience.  "To  suffer 
together  creates  a  purer  fellow-feeling  than 
to  labor  together.'  "Companionship  in  sor- 
row forms  the  most  enduring  of  all  ties." 
Being  made  conformable  unto  his  death. 
See  also  RevLsed  Version.  This  is  a  descrij)- 
tion  of  the  apostle's  actual,  present  experience: 
"I  die  daily"  (1  Cor.  i5:3i),  and  before  long  I 
expect  to  meet  a  martyr's  fate.  The  phrase 
therefore  describes  the  imminent  peril  of  that 


48 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Cii.  III. 


11  If  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead. 

12  Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  wen? 
already  perfect :  but  I  follow  alter,  if  that  I  m  ly  appre- 
hend that  for  which  also  1  am  apprehended  of  Christ 
Jesus. 


11  if  by   any   means    I    may   attain    unto  the    resur- 

12  rection  from  the  dead.  "Not  that  I  have  already 
obtained,  or  am  already  made  perfeot ;  but  I 
press  on,  if  so  be  that  i  may  i  lay  hold  on  that 
for  which  also  I  was  laid  hold  on  by  Christ  Jesus. 


1  Or,  lay  hold,  seeing  that  also  I  was  laid  hold  on. 


condition,  in  which  he  was  learning  the  fellow- 
ship of  Christ's  sufferings.  In  this  state  of 
constant  danger,  in  which  at  any  moment  his 
fellowship  witli  his  Lord  in  suflFering  might 
terminate  in  his  conformity  witit  liis  very 
death,  it  was  the  apostle's  constant  prayer 
that  he  might  endure  his  trials  to  the  very  end 
in  the  same  spirit  as  the  Master. 

11.  Here  is  presented  the  great  final  aim  of  all 
this  experience.  The  problematical  form  of 
expression,  if  by  any  means,  does  not  itnply 
doubt  on  the  apostle's  part,  but  is  simply  sug- 
gested by  his  humility.  For  other  examples 
of  this  form  of  expression,  see  Acts  27  :  12; 
Rom.  1  :  10;  11  :  14.  The  resurrection  of  the 
dead  here  referred  to  is,  of  course,  the  first 
resurrection,  (i  Cor.  i5:23;  ixhess. -t:  le.)  He  says 
simply  the  resurrection,  not  that  he  did  not 
believe  in  the  resurrection  both  of  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked,  for  he  expressly  taught 

it  (Acts  24  :  15),  as  did  also  Christ  (John  S  :  28,  29),  but 

because  he  regarded  the  resurrection  of  the 
good  as  the  only  one  in  which  he  had  any 
interest.  To  attain  unto  this  was  to  reach  the 
fulfillinentof  all  his  highest  and  holiest  hopes. 
What  a  glorious  privilege  it  will  be  to  rise  out 
of  the  darkness  of  the  tomb,  clothed  in  a  spir- 
itual body  which  shall  be  a  perfect  abode  for 
the  immortal  spirit,  both  body  and  spirit  being 
freed  from  all  sin  and  delivered  forever  from 
the  curse  under  which  we  now  groan !     (2  Cor. 

5:4.) 

13.  In  contrast  with  his  former  pride,  when 
as  a  Pharisee  he  thought  himself  blameless, 
he  now  humbly  disclaims  all  pretensions  to 
perfection,  and  simply  claims  to  be  striving 
after  it;  and  he  holds  up  a  striking  picture  of 
his  earnestness  in  this  effort,  with  a  view  to 
encouraging  others  to  like  mindedness.     Not 


as  though  I  had  already  attained— better, 

not  t/iat  I  have,  etc.  (Revised  Version).  He 
anticipates  the  po.ssibility  of  some  one's  saying 
that  he  is  puffed  up  with  self-conceit,  and 
hence  adds  this  disclaimer.  After  the  word 
'attained,'  Meyer  and  some  others  mentally 
supply  the  word  'the  prize,'  and  suppose  that 
already  the  idea  of  a  race  had  begun  to  shape 
the  apostle's  language;  but  it  is  much  more 
natural  to  suppose  that  he  speaks  here  without 
any  thought  of  the  race  course,  and  that 
gradually'  the  figure  of  the  foot  race  begins 
to  unfold  itself.  In  this  case  the  word  to  be 
mentally  supplied  with  attained  is  "this,"  or 
"these  things,"  referring  to  his  previous  de- 
scription of  the  believer's  state,  (ver.  9-11.) 
"I  do  not  mean,"  he  says,  "that  I  have  at- 
tained all  this."  "In  his  highest  fervor  the 
apostle  does  not  lose  spiritual  sobriety."  (Ben- 
gel.)  The  believer's  sanctification,  even  when 
that  believer  is  such  a  saint  as  Paul,  is  pro- 
gressive, and  is  not  reached  this  side  the  grave. 
That  this  idea  of  perfection  is  the  one  in  Paul's 
mind  is  .shown  by  the  words  he  adds  immedi- 
ately to  explain  his  not  having  attained.  Ei- 
ther were  already  perfect.  I  have  not  j'et 
reached  such  a  point  that  I  can  say,  I  am  per- 
fect. The  twice  repeated  'already'  empha- 
sizes the  idea  of  the  present  moment,  impl^-ing 
at  the  same  time  that  what  is  not  yet  true  will 
some  time  be  true.'  But  I  follow  after — oi*, 
as  in  Revised  Version,  /  py-ess  on.  The  idea 
of  the  foot  race  begins  to  emerge,  though  it 
does  not  appear  distinctly  till  ver.  14.  If  that 
I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  alsoa  I 
am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.  Christ 
apprehended  him  on  the  way  to  Damascus, 
and  now  he  follows  on  to  apprehend  that  for 
which  he  had  been  apprehended,   his   moral 


1  Tho  first  verb. '  attained,' refers  by  its  tense  to  the 
lime  of  his  conversion  ;  the  second, '  am  made  perfect ' 
(Revised  Version),  brings  his  condition  down  to  the 
present  moment.  I  did  not  attain  at  the  time  of  my 
conversion,  nor  has  there  been  a  moment  up  to  the 
present  when  I  could  pronounce  myself  perfect.  The 
second  verb  is  found  nowhere  else  in  Paul's  writings, 
though  frequent  elsewhere. 


*The  phrase  translated  '  that  for  which  '  in  the  Com- 
mon and  the  Revised  Versions  is  a  puzzle  to  interpre- 
ters, and  has  received  various  meanings.  It  may  mean 
as  above,  or  "because,"  in  which  case  the  following 
clause  slates  the  reason.  The  first  gives  a  more  pictur- 
esque thought,  at  least. 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


49 


13  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended : 
but  this  one  thing  /  t/o,  forjjetting  those  things  which 
are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which 
are  before, 

14  I  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

15  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus 
minded;  and  if  in  any  thing  ye  be  otherwise  minded, 
God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you. 


13  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  i  yet  to  have  laid 
hold;  but  one  thing  /  Un,  forgetting  the  things 
which   are   behind,  and   stretcliing   forward   to   the 

14  things  which  are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the  goal 
unto  the  itrizC  of  the  -liigh  calling  of  God  in  Christ 

15  Jesus.  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be 
thus  minded:  and  if  in  anything  ye  are  otherwise 


1  Many  ancieut  autliorlties  oniityeC 2  Or.  upward, 


and  spirittiiil  perfection,  wliich  was  the  pur- 
pose Christ  had  in  view  when  he  laid  his  hand 
upon  him.  When  he  felt  the  pressure  of  that 
divine  hand,  the  apostle  turned  about  and 
followed  eai^erly  on,  to  obtain  that  prize  which 
the  Master  had  in  view  for  him.  How  well 
this  verb  'apprehend'  describes  his  conver- 
sion !  It  was  no  quiet  invitation  that  Paul 
obeyed,  like  that  given  to  John  aiad  Peter, 
but  it  was  a  violent  seizure,  by  which  he  was 
arrested  in  his  course. 

13.  He  solemnly  and  impressively  re-aiBrms 
his  humble  opinion  of  himself,  preparatory  to 
a  statement  of  his  earnest  striving  after  perfec- 
tion, and  perhaps  with  the  idea  of  holding  up 
a  mirror  before  the  Philippians,  some  of 
whom  at  least  seemed  inclined  to  vainglori- 
ousness  and  pride.  See  2  :  8.  Brethren— 
when  the  apostle's  feelings  are  deeply  moved, 
he  is  apt  to  use  this  word— I  count  not  my- 
self to  have  apprehended.  "Others  might 
easily  think  this  of  Paul."  (Bengel.)  On  a 
similar  emphatic  collocation  of  the  words 
"I,"  "myself,"  see  John  5  :  30;  7  :  17;  8  :  54; 
Acts  26  :  9.  After  repeating  in  a  slightly  dif- 
ferent form  the  first  words  of  the  previous 
verse,  he  proceeds  to  describe  in  a  highly 
figurative  way  his  earnest  efforts  after  perfec- 
tion, which  he  had  described  more  pro.Siiically 
in  the  closing  words  of  ver.  12.  The  words 
which  he  has  been  using,  'pursue'  and  'ap- 
prehend,' as  yet  apparently  without  any  dis- 
tinct figure  in  mind,  now  suggest  the  beautiful 
image  of  the  race  course,  and  lead  to  a  strik- 
ing comparison  of  himself  to  a  runner  in  the 
well-known  races.  But  this  one  thing  I  do. 
In  the  Greek  it  is  very  emphatic.  'But  one 
thing' — forgetting,  etc.  There  is  no  verb  cor- 
responding to  the  words  'I  do,'  and  the  mind 
is  led  to  rest  for  a  moment  on  the  simple 
words  "but  one  thing"  (eV  Se),  and  then  passes 
on  to  the  description  that  folUiws,  which  consti- 
tutes tbeone  thing.  Forgetting  those  things 
which  are  behind.  Tliese  are  not  the  Jew- 
ish distinctions  referred  to  in  ver.  5,  6,  for  these 


h:id  been  already'  abandoned  previous  to  his 
entering  upon  the  race;  but  they  are  his  past 
experiences,  his  successes  and  failures,  his  good 
works  and  his  sins  alike.  All  these  he  leaves 
behind,  yea,  even  forgets,  not  of  course  in  such 
a  way  as  to  lose  their  lessons  of  encouragement 
and  of  warning,  but  like  the  runner  who 
thinks  not  of  the  ground  already  trod,  but 
only  of  th,at  wiiich  intervenes  between  himself 
and  the  goal.  "The  looking  back  that  Paul 
condemns  is  that  which  breaks  the  pace  and 
lessens  the  speed."  (Calvin.)  And  reaching 
forth — or,  stretching  forward  (Revised  Ver- 
sion), a  very  picturesque  word  in  the  Greek, 
bringing  before  us  the  eager,  excited  runner, 
with  his  head  and  neck  extended  toward  the 
goal,  his  ardent  spirit  outrunning  his  Itigging 
feet.  Unto  those  things  which  are  before. 
The  'things  before'  are  not  tiie  prize,  as  some 
.suppose,  but  the  attainments  in  the  Christian 
life  which  yet  lie  between  his  present  condi- 
tion and  the  final  goal  of  perfection. 

14.  I  press  toward  the  mark — or,  the  goal 
— for  the  prize.  In  ancient  games  this  was 
generally  a  wretith.  hung  at  the  goal.  In 
Paul's  case  it  is  that  perfection,  which  he  has 
already  discbiimed,  but  wiiich  he  will  yet  at- 
tain. This  is  'the  prize'  of  the  high  calling. 
The  English  word  'calling'  suggests  vocation, 
business,  but  the  Greek  word  has  no  such 
double  significance.  It  means  simply  the  call, 
or  act  of  calling,  which  is  described  as  high — 
that  is,  heavenly  (Heb.  3:i),  because  God  calls 
to  us  from  the  heavens  above.  It  is  'the  prize 
of  the  high  calling,'  because  it  is  that  reward 
"which  the  heavenly  calling  holds  forth." 
(Luther.)  The  figure  of  the  race  course  is 
dropped  with  these  words,  and  the  language 
becoines  literal  again.  Of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus— for  God  calls  us  in  the  person  of  his 

Son.       (l  Cor.  7  :  22;  1  Peter  5:  10.) 

15.  In  this  and  the  following  verse  we  have 
the  practical  application  to  the  Philipjiians  of 
this  description  of  his  own  spirit.  Therefore 
— since  this  spirit  is  the  right  spi'rit  to  cherish — 


D 


50 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


16  Nevertheless,  whereto  we  have  already  attained, 
let  us  walk  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mind  the  same 
thing. 

17  Brethren,  be  followers  together  of  nie,  and  mark 
them  which  walk  so  as  ye  have  us  for  ku  ensample.  j 


16  minded,  even  this  shall  God  reveal  unto  you  :  only, 
whereunto  we  have  already  attained,  by  that  same 
rule  let  us  walk. 

17  Brethren,  be  ye  imitators  together  of  me,  and 
mark  them  who  so  walk  even  as  ye  have  us  for  au 


as  many  as  be  perfect — not  in  the  sense  of 
attainment,  for  the  apostle's  words  have  al- 
ready excluded  that  idea,  but  of  aim  and 
purpose.  "Perfect,  and  not  perfect;  perfect 
travelers,  not  yet  perfect  possessors."  (Au- 
gustine.) The  perfect  on  earth  are  those  that 
seek  perfection,  and  have  come  in  their  Chris- 
tian life  to  a  certain  maturity  of  faith  and 
knowledge,  so  that  they  are  no  longer  mere 
babes  in  Christ.  See  Matt.  5  :  48 ;  1  Cor.  2  : 
6;  3:1;  14  :  20;  Eph.  4  :  13,  14;  Col.  4  :  12; 
Heb.  5  :  14.  In  this  word  perfect  there  may 
be  implied  a  contrast  with  those  Christians 
who  were  still  clinging  to  the  things  that  Paul 
had  discarded,  still  putting  a  certain  honor  on 
lineage,  circumcision,  and  outward  righteous- 
ness, and  unable  wholly  to  renounce  a  meas- 
ure of  confidence  in  such  things.  In  the  use 
of  the  words  'as  many  as,'  the  apostle  leaves 
it  to  the  conscience  of  each  reader  or  hearer 
to  determine  whether  he  belongs  to  this  class 
or  not.  Be  thus  minded — literally,  think 
this;  that  is,  which  I  think.  Compare  2  :  5. 
By  these  words  he  means  to  enjoin  upon  them 
that  same  humble,  yet  earnest  striving  after 
perfection  which  distinguishes  himself  Let 
tliis  be  your  thought,  as  it  is  mine,  not  to  sit 
down  content  with  the  past,  but  to  press  ever 
onward  to  the  goal.  And  if  in  any  thing 
ye  be  otherwise  *  minded,  as  is  probably  the 
case.^  The  difference  here  spoken  of  as  exist- 
ing in  the  case  of  some  is  a  different  frame  of 
mind  from  that  of  the  apostle  and  the  perfect. 
Such  a  divergence  is  wrong,  but  with  Chris- 
tian tolerance  Paul  says,  God  will  also  set  this 
right.  He  does  not  uncharitably  rebuke  them 
for  their  different  spirit,  but  with  a  sweet 
charity  looks  forward  to  the  time  when  their 
eyes  will  be  opened  to  discover  their  error. 
God  shall  reveal  even  this  nnto  you,  as 
he  has  revealed  other  things.  God  will  set 
you  right  by  his  Holy  Spirit  (Eph.  i:i7;  Coi.  i:9), 
and  show  you  the  truth  concerning  that  matter 
in  which  you  now  differ  from  me.  In  this 
sweet  spirit  of  tolerance  there  is  a  practical 


lesson  for  us.  We  cannot  always  act  or  think 
alike,  and  in  such  cases  we  are  not  to  yield 
our  own  opinion  or  mode  of  action,  if  they 
seem  right  to  us,  but  to  maintain  them  in 
charity,  waiting  for  that  fuller  revelation 
which  shall  declare  us  right  and  others  wrong, 
or  the  reverse. 

16.  The  exact  shade  of  thought  in  this  verse 
it  is  hard  to  determine  in  the  original,  though 
the  general  meaning  is  plain  enough.  He  will 
have  unity  of  thought  and  purpose  as  far  as  pos- 
sible. Nevertheless — or,  only  (as  in  Revised 
Version) ;  this,  and  nothing  more.  Whereto 
we  have  already  attained — whatever  Chris- 
tian progress  we  have  made,  both  in  faith  and 
knowledge.  Let  us  walk^  by  the  same 
rule,  let  us  mind  the  same  thing.  The 
last  clause  is  an  interpolation,  and  rightly  dis- 
carded in  the  Revised  Version.  AVhile  we 
wait  for  fuller  revelation,  let  our  present  at- 
tainments be  the  rule  of  our  conduct.  Walk 
by  the  rule  of  that  already  received.  Do  not 
abandon  any  present  experience,  but  continue 
to  walk  by  the  light  of  that  until  you  obtain 
new  light. 

17-4  :  1.  Necessity  or  Following  Good 
Examples  Enforced  by  a  Vivid  Con- 
trast OF  THE  Character  and  Destiny  of 
False  and  True  Believers. — The  apostle 
presses  upon  their  attention  his  example  and 
that  of  his  imitators  (17),  and  enforces  the 
duty  of  copying  such  lives  by  a  vivid  picture 
of  the  character  and  fearful  destiny  of  false 
professors  (18,  19),  in  contrast  with  the  exalted 
life  and  glorious  destiny  of  true  believers  (20, 
21),  closing  with  a  final  exhortation  to  stead- 
fastness (4  :  1). 

17.  Brethren,  be  followers  together  of 
me.  The  word  'brethren'  indicates  his  deep 
feeling.  See  ver.  13.  The  injunction  is  more 
clear  in  the  Revised  Version.  "£e  ye  imita- 
tors together,"  or  co-imitators,  one  and  all, 
"with  one  consent,  with  one  mind."  (Calvin.) 
Compare  1  Cor.  4  :  16;  11  :  1 ;  1  Thess.  1:6; 
2  Thess.  3  :  7,  9.    'Of  me.'    What  a  conscious- 


1  The  word  tran.slated  'otherwise'   (cr^pu?)  is  found 
nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament. 
'  Ei  with  the  indicative  assumes  the  case  to  be  a  real 


one.   Winer's  "Grammar,"  g41.l>.  2. a;  Kuhner,  g 339,  2, 
1  (a);  Hadley,  745,  1. 

3  The  infinitive  o-Toixeii/  is  used  as  an  emphatic  imper- 
ative, as  in  Rom.  12  :  15. 


Ch.  III.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


61 


18  (For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often, 
and  now  tell  you  even  v,eepiug,l/iat  thei/are  the  enemies 
of  the  cross  ol  t:hrist : 

l;»  Whose  end  is  destruction,  whose  God  ix  IfieirheWj 
and  wkose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind  earthly 
things.)  ■^ 


18  ensample.      For  many  walk,  of  whom    I  told    you 
often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping,  l/uit  tiny  are 

19  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ:  whose  end   is 
perdition,  whose  god  is  the  belly,  and  whose  glory 


ness  of  duties  performed  and  sins  resisted  tliese 
words  imply  !  He  had  already  disclaimed  per- 
fection ;  in  the  sight  of  God  he  is  nothing  but 
asinnersavod  by  grace.  In  a  still  later  epistle 
he  even  calls  himself  "chief  of  sinners"  (i  Tim. 
1 :  15),  yet,  notwithstanding  all  this,  he  realizes 
that  in  the  sight  of  man  he  has  walked  in  such 
obedience  that  the  Philippians  can  take  no 
better  example  to  copy.  Few,  indeed,  could 
thus  appeal  to  their  own  life  without  thereby 
bringing  to  mind  some  flagrant  weakness  of 
character,  and  so  exposing  their  claims  to 
ridicule.  But  the  Philippians  are  to  copy  not 
only  Paul,  but  those  who  live  as  he  does.  On 
'walk,'  as  denoting  a  chosen  course  of  life, 
see  ver.  16;  Acts  21  :  24;  Pvom.  4:  12;  Gal. 
5  :  25.  He  does  not  say  those  who  walk 
as  they,  but  as  ye  have  us  for  an  en- 
.sample,  for  he  would  have  the  Philip- 
pians apply  the  test,  since  they  knew  what  i 
his  life  had  been,  and  whether  any  others 
walked  in  accordance  with  it  or  not.  "The 
inferior  examples  of  the  friends  of  Christ's 
cross  should  be  tried  by  the  standard  of  the 
greater  and  more  perfect."  (BengelJ  At 
the  same  time,  by  keeping  the  inferior  exam- 
ples also  in  view,  the  Philippians  would  obtain 
a  more  perfect  standard  than  by  taking  any 
single  life.  The  example  of  Timothy,  Epaph- 
roditus,  and  perhaps  many  others,  might  add 
some  beautiful  traits  to  their  conception  of  the 
Christian  life,  even  though  that  conception 
had  been  derived  from  the  contemplation  of 
so  glorious  a  life  as  that  of  St.  Paul.  "  There 
are  innumerable  models  laid  before  thee  in 
the  Scriptures  of  virtuous  lives,  so,  if  you  will, 
go  to  the  disciples  after  the  Master."  (Chry- 
sostom.)  "  AVe  must  propound  to  ourselves 
the  highest  pitch  and  the  best  patterns  of  per- 
fection ;  follow  the  forwardest  Christians  with 
a  desire  to  overtake  them;  dwell  upon  their 
exemplary  lives  till  ye  be  changed  into  the 
same  image."  (Trapp.)  'Ensample,' in  the 
singular,  indicates  that  the  standard  is  only 
one,  though  found  in  many  individuals. 

18.  The  reason  why  he  urges  them  to  keep 
before  their  minds  the  example  of  the  good, 
is  that  even   many  professed   Christians  live 


very  impure  lives.  Those  here  mentioned 
must  have  been  Christians,  not  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles; for  otherwise  there  would  be  no  special 
appropriateness  in  the  allusion.  The  Philip- 
pians would  not  have  been  likely  to  copy  the 
example  of  unbelievers;  but  Paul  was  very 
much  afraid  that  they  might  copy  the  bad 
example  of  these  professed  disciples.  Whether 
they  resided  in  Philippi  or  not,  we  cannot  tell, 
but  they  were,  at  least,  well  known  there,  for 
Paul  had  often  spoken  to  the  church  about 
them,  and-  now,  in  view  of  their  increasing 
wickedness  and  pernicious  influence,  mentions 
them  with  tears,  and  declares  them  to  be  ene- 
mies of  the  cross  of  Christ.  They  are  op- 
posed to  the  doctrine  of  self-denial,  and  refuse 
to  accept  the  cross  which  every  believer  must 
bear.  See  Matt.  10  :  38;  16  :  24;  Mark  8  :  34; 
Luke  9  :  23;  14  :  27.  The  apostle  had  just 
reason  to  fear  their  influence,  for  they  per- 
verted that  truth  which  he  taught  so  ear- 
nestly, that  the  Christian  is  not  under  the  law, 
but  under  grace.  Such  lawless  Christians  only 
served  to  bring  that  gracious  doctrine  into 
discredit.  In  Romans,  ch.  6,  he  argues  at 
greater  length  against  these  perverters  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christian  liberty.  Compare  also 
Kom.  16  :  18. 

19.  The  destiny  and  character  of  these  false 
professors  are  painted  in  lurid  colors.  For 
equally  severe  descriptions  of  such  characters 
from  other  apostles,  see  2  Peter  2  :  10-22; 
Jude  12,  13.  Whose  end  is  destruction. 
Bengel  well  says  that  this  statement  of  their 
destiny  precedes  the  description  of  their  char- 
acter, in  order  that  the  latter  "  may  be  read 
with  the  greater  horror."  Their  end  is  de- 
struction, separation  from  the  presence  of  God 
and  confinement  in  the  place  of  torment. 
According  to  the  Saviour's  words,  many  who 
have  not  only  professed  faith  in  him,  but  al^o 
have  apparently  accomplished  great  things  in 
his  name,  will  be  found  among  the  lost.  (»»". 
7:2i,seq.)  On  the  word  'end,'  compare  Rom. 
6  :  21 ;  2  Cor.  11  :  15;  Heb.  6:8;  on  "destruc- 
tion," compare  Matt.  7  :  13;  Rom.  9  :  22.  To 
this  description  of  their  destiny  Paul  now 
adds  a  scathing  portrayal  of  their  character. 


52 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  hi. 


20  For  our  conversation  Is  in  heaven;  from  whence 
also  we  looli  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ : 

21  VVlio  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be 
fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to  the 
working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself. 


20  is  in  their  sharae,  who  mind  eai^hly  things.  For 
our  1  citizenship  is  in  heaven  ;  from  whence  also  we 
wait   for  a  .Saviour,  the    Lord   Jesus  (.'hrisi:    who 

21  shall  fashion  anew  the  body  of  our  humiliation,  t/ial 
it  may  be  conformed  to  the  body  ot  his  glory,  ac- 
cording to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to 
suliject  all  things  unto  himself. 


1  Or,  commonwealth. 


Whose  God  is  their  helly.  They  are  given 
up  to  the  worst  kind  of  lusts,  itnd  find  their 
chief  satisfaction  in  the  gratification  of  their 
aiiinuil  nature.  Compare  Rom.  16  :  18.  More- 
over, like  the  heathen  (Bom.  i :  32),  they  not 
only  commit  abominable  sins,  but  their  glory 
is  ill  their  shame.  They  take  pride  in  those 
very  things  which  in  the  estimation  of  the 
good  are  really  a  shame  and  disgrace;  they 
justify  their  vices.  The  last  feature  of  the  de- 
scription— who  mind  earthly  things'— pre- 
sents the  essentially  earthly  character  of  tlieir 
state  of  mind  and  heart;  they  think  of  nothing 
but  etirthiy  matters,  have  no  high  and  heav- 
enly thoughts  and  aspirations,  but  concen- 
trate their  whole  soul  upon  the  things  of 
time  and  "sense.  Paul  in  Romans,  ch.  8,  de- 
scribes most  beautifully  the  opposite  frame  of 
mind,  whicii  is  characteristic  of  the  true 
Christian. 

20.  Tiie  opposite  character  and  destiny  of 
true  believers,  "in  outlines  few,  but  how 
clear."  Our  is  placed  first  in  the  Greek  with 
emphasis — 'ours'  in  contrast  witii  theirs. 
Conversation  (or,  as  in  Revised  Version, 
citizenship).  Tiie  former  translation  is  taken 
from  the  Vulgate  (conversatin),  and  signifies, 
according  to  ancient  English  usage,  manner 
of  life,  behavior, — not  discourse.  This  last 
conception,  wnich  is  probably  that  of  the 
ordinary  reader,  suggests  the  beautiful  idea 
that  the  Christian  thinks  and  talks  chiefiy  of 
heavenly  things — an  idea  undoubtedly  im- 
plied in  the  correct  rendering,  for  it  is  the 
natural  contrast  to  "minding  earthly  things," 
but  still  it  is  not  an  accurate  interpretation 
either  of  the  English  word  'conversation' 
in  the  Common  Version,  or  of  the  original 
Greek  word.  That  Greek  term  has  various  sig- 
nifications, which  are  very  closely  related,  com- 
monwealth, country,  citizenship,  but  not  con- 
versation, in  the  modern  sense  of  that  word. 
Paul  reminds  his  readers  that  their  true  com- 


monwealth, or  citizenship,  is  above,  not  on 
earth.  The  true  Christian,  like  Abraham, 
seeks  no  continuing  city  here,  for  he  is  a 
stranger  and  pilgrim  on  earth,  and  his  real 
country  is  the  hetivenly.  In  Heb.  11  :  13-16 
we  have  a  most  beautiful  unfolding  of  this 
idea  of  our  heavenly  citizenship.  Compare 
also  Eph.  2  :  19.  "  We  live  by  the  same  laws 
as  saints  and  angels  do.  .  .  .  "While  we  live 
by  heaven's  laws,  and  go  about  our  earthly 
business  with  heavenly  minds;  this  a  carnal 
mind  cannot  skill  of."  (Trapp.)  "With  the 
body  we  walk  about  on  earth,  with  the  heart 
we  dwell  in  heaven."  (Augustine.)  From 
this  heaven,  where  our  true  home  is,  we  look 
for  the  Saviour.  In  the  Greek,  'Saviour'  is 
placed  first,  and  separated  from  its  related 
words,  its  isolated  position  giving  it  great 
emphasis.  The  verb  translated  'look  for'  is 
a  picturesque  word,  suggesting  the  idea  of 
waiting  with  expectation  and  eagerness  until 
the  wished-for  object  comes.  Compare  Rom. 
8:  23,  25;  1  Cor.  1:7;  Gal.  5:  5. 

21,  In  describing  the  fearful  destiny  of  false 
believers,  Paul  used  only  one  trenchant  word 
'destruction,'  but  he  dwells  longer  upon  the 
glorious  destiny  of  believers,  which  he  pictures 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  resurrection,  be- 
cause in  his  mind  that  involves  all  the  rest. 
The  Common  Version  has  gone  astray  in  its 
translation  our  vile  body,  there  being  noth- 
ing in  the  original  corresponding  to  the  adjec- 
tive 'vile.'  It  was  not  a  principle  of  Paul's 
philosoph_y  to  despise  the  body,  nor  does 
Christianity  give  any  countenance  to  the  an- 
cient Greek  notion  of  the  essential  vileness 
and  worthlessness  of  the  flesh,  but  rather 
teaches  us  to  look  for  the  redemption  of  the 
body,  as  well  as  of  the  soul,  from  the  taint  of 
sin  and  the  bondage  of  corruption.  The 
proper  translation  of  these  words  is  that  of  the 
Revised  Version,  "the  body  of  our  humilia- 
tion," which  Paul  so  describes,  because  in  it 


'On  the  change  in  the  construction  of  the  last  clause,  for  the  sake  of  emphasis,  see  Winer,  g59,  8,  b;  gG2,  3; 
Buttmanu,  §12:j,  5. 


Ch.  IV.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


53 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THEREFORE,  ray  brethren  dearly  beloved  and  longed 
lor,  my  joy  and  crowij,  so  sUiud  fast  iu  the   Lord, 
1111/  dearly  beloved. 

2  1  l.e.--eeeh  Eiiodias,  and  beseech  Syntyche,  that  they 
be  of  the  same  luiud  iu  the  Lord. 


1  Wherefore,  my  brethren  beloved  and  longed  for,  my 
joy  and  crown,  so  stand  fast  in  ihe  L(ird,  my  beloved. 

2  I  exhort  Euodia,  and  I  exhort  8yuiycheJ  to  be  of 


we  experience  those  painful  and  humiliating 
experiences,  privations,  afflictions,  persecu- 
tions, which  belong  to  the  Ciiristian  life  on 
earth.  This  body,  in  which  now  we  tire  so 
often  humiliated,  is  to  be  changed  at  Christ's 
coming,  and  fashioned  like  unto  his  glor- 
ious body  (or,  the  body  of  his  glory),  that 
body  which  he  possesses  in  his  glorified  state, 
for,  as  John  says  (i  Epi-ties:  2),  "we  shall  be 
like  him."  Compare  Rom.  8  :  29;  1  Cor.  15  : 
49.  It  is  the  fasiiion  of  the  body  only  that 
will  be  changed,  as  suggested  by  the  word 
here  used  (^eTacTxiMiTio-ci),  and  its  identity  will 
be  preserved,  as  Paul  plainly  teaches  in  1  Cor. 
15  :  37,  by  the  analog3'  of  the  seed;  tiiough  of 
course  we  cannot  understand  either  the  nature 
of  the  change  or  the  relation  of  the  present 
body  to  that  future  one.  All  this  great  change 
is  to  be  effected  according  to  the  working 
(or,  energy)  o?  th&i  almighty  ability,  whereby 
he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto 
himself.  "It  is  the  work  of  the  Lord's  om- 
nipotence.'' (Bengel. )  This  supreme  ability 
of  the  Saviour  is  dwelt  upon  more  fully  in 
Col.  1 :  16,  seq.,  and  is  referred  to  in  Heb.  1 :  3. 
That  power  by  which  Christ  can  subject  all 
things  unto  himself  is  an  unassailable  evidence 
of  his  ability  to  change  our  bodies  from 
humiliation  to  glor^-. 


Ch.  4.  COXCLUSION  OF  THE  PRECEDING  EX- 
HORTATION WHICH   SHOULD  PrOPERLY  FORM 

A  Part  of  the  Previous  Chapter. 

1.  In  conclusion,  the  apostle  tenderly  and 
fervently  exhorts  them  to  maintain  a  spirit  of 
unity.  The  vision  of  future  glory  suggested 
at  the  close  of  the  previous  chapter  should  be 
a  present  inspiration.  So  at  the  close  of  the 
great  chapter  <>n  the  resurrection  Paul  trans- 
mutes that  sublime  vision  of  future  glory  into 
an  inspiring  force  in  the  present,  (i  Cor.  15:08.) 
My  brethren,  etc.  This  accumulation  of 
affectionate  epithets  springs  from  his  loving 
heart,   which  is  especially  moved  hy  the  re- 


membrance of  tiiis  well  ordered  church. 
"  They  are  not  terms  of  flattery,  but  of  sincere 
love."  (Calvin.)  In  no  other  Epistle  do  we 
find  such  numerous  e.xpressions  of  aftectionate 
praise.  Dearly  beloved  and  longed  for.' 
He  not  only  loves  them,  but  earnestly  desires 
to  see  them  again.  "  What  heart-melting 
language  is  here!  Ministers  must  woo  hard 
for  Christ,  and  speak  fair,  if  they  will  speak 
to  purpose."  (Trapp. )  Joy  and  crown.  Such 
disciples  not  only  give  him  the  greatest  joy, 
but  crown  his  ministry  with  an  imperishable 
wreath  of  glory.  Compare  the  similar  words 
in  1  Thess.  2  :  19.  So  stand  fast — that  is,  as 
those  who  possess  a  commonwealth  in  heaven, 
and  are  expecting  thence  the  Saviour's  coming. 
In  the  Lord.  Nothing  can  be  rightly  done 
excei)t  in  the  Lord,  in  his  strength  and  grace. 
Dearly  beloved.  He  lingers  on  these  lov- 
ing words,  as  if  they  had  a  peculiar  sweet- 
ness. "  This  is  twice  used  very  sweetly :  first, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  period,  and  then  for 
strengthening  the  exhortation."  (Bengel.) 
The  rest  of  this  chapter  contains  certain  gen- 
eral exhortations  and  final  messages  which 
have  been  well  described  as  "the  ethical  mis- 
cellany with  which  the  apostle  often  concludes 
an  Epistle." 

2,  3.  Admonitions  to  and  Commenda- 
tions OF  Certain  Individuals.— He  urges 
two  women  who  had  become  alienated  to  be 
at  peace  (2),  and  beseeches  some  well-known 
associate  in  the  church  to  assist  them  in  their 
efforts  after  harmony  (3). 

2.  I  beseech  Euodias,  and  beseech 
Syntyche.  Both  of  the  persons  here  addressed 
were  evidently  women,  as  appears  by  the 
feminine  pronoun  in  ver.  3,  which  can  properly 
refer  only  to  thetn.  The  Common  Version 
translates  the  first  name  Euodias,  as  if  it 
were  the  name  of  a  man  ;  it  should  be  Euodia, 
as  in  Revised  Version.  Both  names  occur  in 
ancient  inscriptions,  but  are  found  nowliere 
else  in  the  New  Testament.  These  women 
were  probably  ladies  of  high  character  and 


1  The  word  translated  '  longed  for,"  ei7iiro9»)Toi,  is  not  found  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament. 


64 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


3  And  I  entreat  thee  also,  true  yokefellow,  help  those 
women  which  laboured  with  me  in  the  gospel,  with 
Clement  also,  and  wilk  other  my  fellow  labourers,  whose 
names  are  in  the  book  of  life. 


3  the  same  mind  in  the  Lord.  Yea,  I  beseech  tbee 
also,  true  yokefellow,  help  these  women,  for  they 
laboured  with  me  in  the  gospel,  willi  Clement  also, 
and  the  rest  of  my  fellow-workers,  whose  names  are 
iu  the  book  of  life. 


position  in  the  church,  who  had  for  some  rea- 
son, to  us  unknown,  become  estranged.  We 
learn  from  Paul's  words,  that  they  had  been 
specially  helpful  to  him  in  times  past,  but 
nothing  further  is  known  concerning  them. 
Their  previous  helpfulness  increased  the  apos- 
tle's anxiety  to  see  them  at  peace  again.  In 
this  difRcult.y  between  these  two  women  we 
may,  perhaps,  discover  the  clue  to  those  fre- 
quent iind  earnest  exhortations  to  unity.  See 
1  :  27 ;  2 :  2-4, 14  ;  3  :  15 ;  4  :  1.  The  repetition  of 
the  verb  'I  beseech  .  .  ,  and  beseech,'  sug- 
gests that  Paul  would  address  the  same  appeal 
to  each  one  separately,  not  necessarily  that  he 
divides  the  blame  equally  between  them.  He 
does  not  exhort  one  to  be  reconciled  to  the 
other,  but  each  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  rec- 
onciliiition.  "  He  uses  this  word  [beseech]  as 
if  exhorting  them  singly,  face  to  face,  and 
that  most  impartially."  (Bengel.)  That  they 
be  of  the  same  mind  in  the  Lord.  Observe 
the  words  again,  'in  the  Lord,'  for  Paul  can 
conceive  of  no  goodness  apart  from  Christ; 
the.se  parties  are  not  only  to  be  reconciled,  but 
in  a  Christian  spirit. 

3.  And  I  entreat  thee  also,  true  yoke- 
fellow. He  appeals  to  a  third  party  to  help 
on  this  reconciliation  ;  and  this  appeal  shows 
how  strongly  the  apostle  desires  it.  The  verb 
translated  '  entreat'  (epwri)  shows  that  he  asks 
as  an  equal  from  an  equal,  while  'ask'  (alreu)) 
would  suggest  the  request  of  an  inferior  to  a 
superior.  ^M,■lu. 7:9;  Ai!tsi2:2o.)  ' Trueyokefcllow.' 
These  words  have  been  a  perpetual  stumbling 
block  to  commentators,  and  very  varied  ex- 
planations have  been  offered  of  their  meaning. 
Some  have  supposed  that  he  refers  to  one  of 
his  fellow  workers,  Luke,  Timothy,  Silas, 
Epaphroditus,  etc.,  while  some  have  even  sup- 
posed the  apostle's  wife  to  be  referred  to.  The 
last  suggestion  is  opposed  by  grammar  for  the 
"word  is  masculine,  and  \>y  the  apostle's  clear 
statement  in  1  Cor.  7:  8,  while  the  fir.st  sugges- 
tion is  not  in  accordance  with  Paul's  usual 
method  of  addressing  his  fellow  laborers;  and 
there  would  also  seem  to  be  an  invidious  dis- 


tinction in  singling  out  any  individual  as  a 
true  or  genuine  'yokefellow.'  Meyer  has  re- 
vived the  explanation  suggested  by  Chrysos- 
tom  as  the  opinion  of  some  in  hisdaj',  that  the 
word  is  a  proper  name,  Syzygus.  With  this 
explanation,  which  seems  probable  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  all  the  rest  here  referred  to  are 
mentioned  by  name,  all  the  difficulties  easily 
vanish.  We  should  simply  have  the  name 
revealed  of  another,  and  otherwise  unknown 
laborer  in  Philippi,  who  was  evidently  greatly 
trusted  by  the  apostle ;  in  which  case  tlie  use 
of  the  adjective  would  become  eminently' 
proper,  "true,  genuine,  S^'zygus,  "  that  is, 
rightly  so  named,  there  being  a  graceful  play 
upon  his  name,  as  in  the  case  of  Onesimus. 
See  Philem.  11.  The  only  objection  to  this 
view,  and  it  does  not  seem  very  decisive,  is  the 
fact  that  such  a  name  has  never  been  discov- 
ered anywhere  else.  Those  women,  rather 
''them.''  The  Common  Version  overlooks,  or 
at  least  obscures,  the  reference  of  the  pronoun 
to  Euodia  and  Syntyche,  but  it  is  no  new  case 
the  apostle  is  here  considering.  He  is  simply 
adding  to  his  personal  appeal  to  the  women 
themselves,  a  request  that  Syzygus  would  aid 
them  in  their  eftorts  at  reconciliation,  and  to 
emphasize  his  request,  he  characterizes  these 
women  as  persons  who  had  been  of  great  ser- 
vice to  himself  personally.*  They  had  labored 
with  him  most  likely,  when  he  founded  the 
church  in  Philippi,  "where,  it  may  be  remem- 
bered, the  gospel  was  fir.st  preached  to  a  com- 
pany of  women,  and  Lydia,  the  first  convert, 
had  opened  her  house  to  the  apostles,  and 
gathered  the  church  for  worship  under  her 
roof.  (Acts  16: 13, 15, 40.)  "  It  is  proper  to  help  a 
person  who  once  stood  well,  even  when  he  is 
wavering."  (Bengel.)  "All  men  should  con- 
tribute their  help  to  the  composing  of  difl'er- 
ences,  and  bring  their  buckets,  as  it  were,  to 
quench  this  unnatural  fire,  when  once  kindled." 
(Trapp. )  The  verb  suggests  that  the  labors 
which  these  women  had  shared  with  the  apos- 
tle, had  involved  some  severe  toil  and  suffer- 
ing.    He  uses  the  same  verb  in  1 :  27.     With 


'The  pronoun  .suggests  that  what  follows  is  in  the  I  dell  and  Scott's  "  G  reek  Lexicon";  Hadley's  "Greek 
nature  of  a  reason,  "  as  being  persons  who."    See  Lid-  I  Grammar,"  section  681,  b. 


Ch.  IV.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


55 


4  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always:  and  again  I  say, 
Rejoice. 

o  Let  your  moderation  be  known  unto  all  men. 
The  Lord  us  at  baud. 


4  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway  ;  again  I  will  say,  Re- 

5  joice.     Let  your  *  forbearance   be  known    uulo  all 


1  Or.  gentleneaa. 


Clement  also.  Clement  was  for  a  long  time 
supposed  to  be  the  famous  Clement  of  Rome, 
autlior  of  an  "Epistle  to  the  Corinthians," 
and  Roman  Catholic  expositors  still  maintain 
that  view,  but  most  others  have  eitlier  aban- 
doned it,  or  entertain  it  as  a  mere  possibility. 
The  probabilities  are  altogether  against  any 
such  identification  of  persons.  "Whoever  he 
was,  he  had  made  himself  conspicut>usiy  use- 
ful to  Paul,  so  that  he  was  constrained  to 
honor  him  by  name.  With  other  my  fellow- 
labourers.  Of  this  unnamed  remainder  of  his 
helpers  he  beautifully  says,  whose  names 
are  in  the  book  of  life.  Unnamed  by  him, 
they  are  all  named  tliere.  Paul  inferred  this 
fact  from  what  he  had  seen  of  their  Christian 
life  and  character,  '"the  seals  of  that  undis- 
closed election."  (Calvin.)  For  the  origin  of 
that  phrase  '  book  of  life;  '  compare  Exodus 
32:32;  Psalme9:28;  Isaiah  4:3;  Ezek.  13 : 
9;  Dan.  12  :  1 ;   Luke  10:20. 

4-9.  Final  AND  General  Exhortation. 

He  exhorts  them  to  joyful ness  (4),  gentle- 
ness (5),  contentment  (6),  with  the  promise  of 
the  peace  of  God  as  the  result  (7),  and  finally 
enjoins  spiritual  mindedness  ^8),  and  obedi- 
ence to  all  his  instructions  (9). 

4.  Rejoice.  This  injunction,  which  he  has 
once  before  used  at  3  :  1,  again  takes  up  the 
thread  which  was  broken  off  by  the  long  di- 
gression, 3  :  2-4  :  3,  ringing  out  once  more  the 
keynote  of  the  Epistle.  See  on  1  :  4.  In  the 
liOrd.  Again  appears  this  characteristic 
phrase,  so  peculiar  to  Paul.  He  adds  also  the 
word  always,  because  Christians  should  not 
only  rejoice,  but  rejoice  under  all  circum- 
stances, no  matter  what  sacrifices  they  have  to 
make,  what  trials  to  bear,  what  losses  to  sus- 
tain, for  all  these  are  part  of  the  divine  plan 
in  accordance  with  which  all  things  work  to- 
gether for  good  to  God's  people.  (Rom.  8:28.) 
See  1  Cor.  3  :  21,  seq. ;  2  Cor.  6  :  10;  1  Thess. 
5  :  16.  In  Rom.  5  :  1-5,  Paul  states  most  beau- 
tifully tlie  reasons  for  such  joy,  even  in  the 
most  unfavorable  circumstances — in  prison, 
in  this  very  city  of  Philippi,  he  had  him- 
self most  r^ignally  illustrated  his  injunction  to 
rejoice  always.     See   Acts  10  :  25.     Again   I 


say — rather,  toill  say  (epi,  future).  So  ear- 
nest is  Paul  in  enforcing  this  duty,  that  he  re- 
peats the  very  same  woid  'rejoice.'  "Well 
has  he  repeated  the  word,  for  since  the  nature 
of  things  produces  grief,  he  shows  by  repeat- 
ing that  they  should  by  all  means  rejoice." 
(Chrysostom.) 

5.  Moderation  —  rather,  "forbearance" 
(Revised  Version),  or  "gentleness"  (margin  of 
Revised  Version).  It  is  that  qualit3'  which 
leads  one  to  yield  rather  than  to  insist  on  the 
full  measure  of  his  rights,  to  suffer  wrong 
rather  than  to  do  wrong,  "as  liolding  utmost 
right  to  be  utmost  wrong."  It  was  character- 
istic of  Christ  beyond  all  others  (2Cor.  lo:  i),  and 
of  Paul  especian3'  among  the  ajjostles.  This 
mildness  of  temper  they  should  make  so  con- 
spicuous a  feature  of  their  character  that  it 
should  come  to  be  known  unto  all  men, 
with  whom  they  migiit  come  into  contact. 
The  injunction  was  specially  appropriate  in 
the  days  of  persecution,  when  they  might  have 
been  tempted  to  exhibit  harshness  of  temper. 
To  enforce  this  injunction  he  adds  the  words, 
the  Lord  is  at  hand,  who  will  right  all 
wrongs,  and  reward  all  fidelity.  Mati^-  have 
inferred  from  such  expressions  as  this  that 
Paul  expected  Christ's  Second  Coming  in  his 
own  lifetime,  or  at  least  in  the  lifetime  of  the 
existing  generation ;  but  in  2  Thess.  2  :  2  he 
expressly  disclaims  any  such  interpretation  of 
his  words.  From  that  passage  we  learn  that 
Paul  did  not  tench  any  such  doctrine,  while 
in  Acts  1  :  7  we  are  taught  by  the  Lord  him- 
self that  the  time  of  his  Second  Coming  was 
not  to  be  revealed  even  to  inspired  apostles. 
If,  however,  it  be  said  that  Paul  evidently 
believed  the  Lord's  coming  to  be  near,  even  if 
he  did  not  expressly  teach  it,  and  that  such 
expectation  colored  his  language,  we  reply 
that  Paul  could  just  as  consistently  employ 
the  language  he  uses,  even  if  he  thought  the 
j  day  to  be  very  distant;  for  practically  the 
Lord  is  at  hand  for  everj'  one  of  us — the  day 
of  one's  death  is  actually  for  him  the  com- 
ing of  Christ  to  judgment.  "It  is  appointed 
unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judg- 
ment" (Heb.  9:27);   after  death  the  next  great 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


6  Be  careful  for  nothing;  but  in  everytliing  by 
prayer  and  supplication  ivith  thanksgiving  let  your  re- 
quests be  made  known  uulo  God. 

7  And  the  ptace  of  (ioJ,  which  i)asseth  all  under- 
standing, shall  keep  your  heans  and  minds  through 
Christ  Jesus. 


6  men.  The  Lord  is  at  hand.  In  nothing  be  anxious; 
but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication  witti 
thanksgiving  kt  your  requests  be  iiiaue  known  unto 

7  God.  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all 
understanding,  shall  guard  your  hearts  and  your 
thoughts  in  Christ  Jesus. 


event  in  the  drama  of  life  is  the  judgment. 
However  long  an  interval  may  separate  the 
two,  they  are  pnictii-ally  close  together.  If 
one,  therefore,  lived  in  the  constant  presence 
of  this  thought,  as  Paul  lived,  he  might  be 
stirred  by  the  expectation  of  Christ's  coming 
to  judgment,  even  though  it  seemed  to  him  an 
event  of  the  far  distant  future.     See  1  :  6. 

6.  Be  careful  for  nothing — with  an  anx- 
ious carefulness.  The  Greek  word  iinplies  a 
care  thtit  divides  and  distracts  the  mind,  as  in 
Christ's  well-known  injunction  in  Matt.  6  :  34. 
It  is  an  outgrowth  of  that  spirit  which  ever 
looks  solicitously  forward,  and  forgets  to-day's 
blessings  and  duties  in  anxieties  about  to-mor- 
row's claims.  "It  is  possible  to  sink  below 
this  anxiety  in  mere  levity  and  thoughtless- 
ness; it  is  possible  to  rise  above  it  by  casting 
our  care  on  him  who  cart-th  for  us."  '  Noth- 
ing' is  placed  first  in  tlie  Greek  with  empha- 
sis, excluding  absolutely  every  subject  of 
anxiety.  In  opposition  to  this  anxious  ctire- 
fulness,  he  prescribes  the  remedy,  which  is 
entire  confidence  in  God.  Compare  1  Peter 
5  :  7.  "This  is  the  best  cure  of  care."  (Trapp.) 
Ill  every  thing,  that  may  happen,  in  em- 
phatic contrast  by  its  position  in  the  sentence 
with  the  'nothing'  of  the  previous  clause. 
By  prayer  and  supplication.  ,  These  words 
are  joined  together  also  in  Eph.  6  :  18;  1  Tim. 
2:1;  5:5.  Tlie  first  is  the  more  general  term, 
including  adoration,  thanksgiving,  etc.  ;  the 
second  is  the  more  specific,  designating  a  single 
feature  of  prayer,  petition  for  necessities. 
"Prayer  and  care  are  more  opposite  than 
water  and  fire."  (Bengal.)  With  thanks- 
giving. Supplication  for  mercies  should  ever 
go  hand  in  hand  with  thanksgiving  for  past 
favors.  See  1  Thess.  5  :  18;  1  Tim.  2  :  1.  "  We 
should  come  to  pray  with  our  thanks  in  our 
hands,  standing  ready  with  it,  as  Joseph's 
brethren  stood  with  their  present.  Prayer 
goes  up  without  incense  when  without  thank- 
fulness." (Trapp.)  Requests  —  literally, 
things  asked  for  (air^jiaTa).  Be  made  known 
— though  they  are  already  known  (Matt.  6:8), 
for  it  is  the  will  of  God  thtit  we  should, ask  for 
what  we  need.     Unto   God — literally,  before 


God  (npoi  Toi-  0e6t/) ;  before  whose  throne  your 
petitions  are  laid.  Some  one  has  aptly  turned 
Paul's  injunction  into  an  epigram:  "  Be  care- 
ful for  nothing,  be  prayerful  for  everything, 
be  thankful  for  anything." 

7.  The  result  of  such  a  spirit  of  prayer  will 
be  the  possession  of  a  wonderful  peace,  the 
peace  of  God,  "the  image  of  God's  own  tran- 
quillity." Prayer  may  not  always  be  answered 
in  the  way  we  expect,  but  always  as  the  result 
of  true  prayer  there  will  come  this  immetisur- 
able  blessing.  This  is  not  the  peace  of  recon- 
ciliation, the  "  peace  with  God  "  of  Rom.  5:1; 
but  the  peace  of  trust,  the  repose  of  a  believ- 
ing heart,  which  Christ  so  beautifully  describes 
in  John  14  :  27,  and  which  presupposes  the 
peace  of  reconciliation  as  its  foundation.  This 
repose  of  sj)irit  Paul  describes  most  eloquently 
as  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all^ 
or,  rather,  every — understanding;  that  is, 
the  power  of  every  mind  to  comprehend  it. 
Nt)  human  mind  is  adequtite  to  understand  or 
e.-timate  this  peace.  Compare  Eph.  3  :  19. 
"He  who  possesses  it  has  more  than  he  him- 
self knows;  more  than  he  can  express  in  word 
or  thought."  Shall  keep — or,  rather,  as  in 
Revised  Version,  "shall  guard"  (4>poup>)(rei). 
Compare  2  Cor.  11  :  32.  By  a  military  meta- 
phor Paul  represents  this  peace  as  keeping 
guard  over  and  protecting  their  hearts,  as  a 
garrison  holds  a  fortress.  At  every  inlet  into 
their  souls  this  peace  stands  like  an  armed 
sentinel,  keeping  out  all  disturbing  influences. 
"Solomon's  bed  was  not  so  well  guarded  with 
his  threescore  valiant  men,  all  holding  swords 
(Canticles  3  :  7,  8),  as  each  good  Christian  is  by 
the  power  of  God  without  him,  and  the  peace 
of  God  within  him."  (Trapp.)  Your  hearts 
and  minds — or,  better,  thoughts,  as  in  Re- 
vised Version.  '  Hearts '  and  thoughts  are  here 
connected  together,  bectiuse,  according  to  the 
Biblical  conception,  "  the  heart  is  the  setit  of 
the  thoughts."  (Bengel.)  See  Matt.  12  :  34; 
15  :  19,  etc.  The  peace  of  God  keeps  the  heart 
and  the  thoughts  issuing  from  it  serene  and 
calm.  How  diflTsrent  this  condition  from  the 
ceaseless  anxieties  of  the  world  (mhu.  6:31.32), 
or  its  false  security  (itiioss.  5:3)  !     Through— 


Ch.  IV.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


57 


8  Filially, brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true,  what- 
soever Ihiugs  are  honest,  whatsoever  things  (ire  just, 
whatsoever  things  art  pure,  whatsoever  things  are 
lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report;  il'  tkere 
be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on  these 
things. 

\)  ihose  things,  which  ye  have  botli  learned,  and  re- 
ceived, and  heard,  and  seen  in  lue,  do:  and  the  (jod  of 
peace  shall  be  witii  you. 


8  Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true, 
whatsoever  things  are '  houourable.whatsoever  things 
are  just,  wliatsoever  things  are  pure,  what  soever  things 
are  lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  -  good  report ;  if 
there   be  any   virtue,  and   if  there   he   any   praise, 

9  3  think  on  these  things.  The  things  which  ye  l)oth 
learned  and  received  and  heard  and  saw  in  me,  these 
things  do  :  and  tile  (jod  of  peace  shall  be  with  you. 


1  Gr.  reverend 2  Or,  graaioua 3  Gr.  take  account  of. 


rather,  in  —  Christ  Jesus,  in  union  with 
wliom  this  divine  guardianship  is  alone  expe- 
rienced. 

8.  Finally.  Here  we  have  'finally'  again 
(see  3  :  1),  actually  bringing  in  this  time  the 
concluding  portion  of  tlie  Epistle.  In  the 
following  sentence,  beautiful  in  its  rhythm 
and  impressive  in  its  sententious  brevity,  we 
have  a  noble  demand  for  Christian  thinking 
and  Christian  living.  The  sixfold  repetition 
of  whatsoever  (6<ra)  adds  much  to  the  im- 
pressiveness  of  the  sentence.  See  Buttmann's 
"New  Testament  Granitnar,"  p.  398.  True 
are  here  tilings  not  speculative,  but  practical ; 
for  the  practical  character  of  the  whole  ad- 
monition shows  that  truth  in  conduct  is 
meant.  "Virtue  is  true,  vice  is  falsehood." 
(Clirysostom.)  Compare  John  3  :  21 ;  1  Cor. 
5:8;  Eph.  5:9;  1  John  1:6.  Truth  in 
speech  and  conduct  Paul  places,  first  of  all, 
in  the  list  of  moral  excellencies.  Honest  is 
here  used  in  the  old  English  sense  of  the  word, 
'honorable,'  which  is  very  nearly  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Greek  word  (o-e^ii/i).  It  is  whatever 
is  venerable  and  sacred  in  character,  worthy 
of  honor  in  the  sight  of  God  and  men.  Com- 
pare 1  Tim.  2:2;  Titus  2  :  2.  Just— in  ac- 
cordance with  eternal  and  unchangeable 
righteousness  {&iKaio<rvvT\).  Pure — not  simply 
chaste,  but,  as  Calvin  well  says,  it  "denotes 
purity  in  all  the  relations  of  life."  Compare 
1  Tim.  5  :  22;  James  3  :  17  ;  1  John  3  :  3. 
Lovely — calculated  to  produce  love  in  a  well- 
ordered  heart.  "There  is  nothing  more  lov- 
able than  virtue."  (Cicero.)  From  the  true 
standpoint,  immorality  is  liateful.  Of  good 
report — not,  "well  spoken  of,"  but  as  Luther 
correctly  translates  it,  "that  which  sounds 
well";  and  hence,  winning,  attractive.'  The 
apostle  now  stims  up  all  these  various  features 
of  moral  conduct,  and  any  others  that  might 
be  thought  of,  in  a  phrase  that  covers  the 
whole  range  of  moral  excellencies.     If  there 


be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise. 

'  Virtue '  is  used  nowhere  else  by  Paul,  and  is 
found  only  in  1  Peter  2  :  9;  2  Peter  1  :  3,  5,  in 
the  New  Testament.  Paul  probably  does  not 
shrink  from  this  term,  as  some  suppose,  because 
it  is  essentially  a  heatlienisli  word,  unvvorthy  of 
Christianity,  but  because  he  preferred  to  dwell 
upon  the  more  specific  designations  of  moral 
excellen'ce,  just  as  he  also  preferred  to  describe 
wickedness  under  its  specific  forms,  rather 
thiin  by  some  general  term.  Compare  Col. 
3  :  8,  12.  By  'virtue'  here  he  means  moral 
goodness  in  itself;  b3' 'praise,'  such  goodne.-s 
reflected  in  the  speech  and  writings  of  men. 
Thus  Christ's  commendation  of  humility; 
Paul's  of  charity,  would  tmswer  to  the  mean- 
ing of  'praise.'  Think  on  these  things — 
take  to  heart,  so  as  to  govern  your  lives  tic- 
cordingly.  We  grow  like  our  thoughts;  we 
cannot  entertain  impure  thoughts  without 
becoming  corrupt,  and  we  cannot  think  good 
thoughts  without  becoming  pure.  "Medita- 
tion precedes,  and  work  follows."  (Calvin.) 
"To  restore  a  commonplace  truth  to  its  first 
uncommon  lustre,  we  need  only  translate  it 
into  action.  But  to  do  this  you  must  have 
reflected  on  its  truth."    (Coleridge.) 

9.  To  this  injunction  to  cherish  pure  and 
right  thoughts,  he  adds  an  incentive  to  right 
action  from  his  own  speech  and  example. 
Those  things  which  ye  have  both  learned, 
and  received — that  is,  from  him  as  a  teacher. 
The  word  '  received'  difl'ers  from  '  learned  '  by 
suggesting  assent  to  the  teaching.  Compare  1 
Cor.  15  :  1.  And  heard,  and  seen  in  me — 
as  an  exami)le.  The  first  verb  does  not  refer 
to  reports  of  his  conduct  that  had  come  to 
their  ears,  but  to  his  conduct  as  evinced  in 
words,  so  that  the  two  verbs  describe  his  con- 
duct in  words  and  deeds;  the  first  they  had 
'heard,'  the  second  thej'  had  'seen.'  Do — not 
simply  ponder,  but  practice.  That  must  be  a 
noble  and  blameless  life  which  could  justify 


1  The  Greek  words  n-pocri^iAij,  '  lovely,'  and  e\i^riy.<x,  'of  good  report,'  occur  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament.' 


58 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


10  But  I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  the 
last  your  care  of  uie  hath  flourished  again  ;  wherein  ye 
were  also  careful,  but  ye  lacked  opportunity. 

11  Not  that  I  speak  in  respect  of  want:  for  I  have 
learned,  in  whatsoever  state  1  am,  ihere.wUh  to  be  con- 
teut. 


10  But  I  1  rejoice  in  the  Lord  greatly  that  now  at 
length  ye  have  revi%-ed  your  thought  for  lue; 
■-wherein  ye  did  indeed  lake  thought,  but  ye  lacked 

11  opportunity.  Not  that  I  speak  in  rtspect  of  waul: 
for  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therein 


1  Gr.  rejoiced 2  Or,  teeing  that. 


one  in  pointing  to  it  as  a  standard  for  others. 
Deficiencies  and  inconsistencies,  which  might 
remain  half  forgotten,  are  brought  vividly  to 
remembrance  by  anything  like  boasting.  But 
the  great  apostle  evidently  had  no  cause  to 
fear  any  such  result,  but  dared,  on  all  occa- 
sions, appeal  to  the  unswerving  fidelity  of  his 
life  and  teachings  to  the  precepts  of  Christ. 
Compare  Acts  20  :  31-35.  And  the  God  of 
peace  shall  be  with  you — as  the  result  of 
such  a  life  of  pure  thoughts  and  right  actions. 

10-20.  Acknowledgment  of  the  Gifts 
Keceived  from  the  Church. — He  compli- 
ments them  most  gracefully  and  delicately  on 
their  thoughtful  care  for  his  wants  (10),  al- 
though asserting  at  the  same  time  his  inde- 
pendence (11)  and  contentment,  under  all 
circumstances,  through  the  Lord's  gracious 
aid  (13).  Nevertheless,  thej'  have  exhibited 
the  right  spirit  (14),  in  striking  contrast  with 
other  churches  (15),  more  than  once  (16). 
Again,  declaring  that  the  spirit  of  the  giver 
is  more  than  the  gift  itself  (17),  he  expresses 
his  entire  satisfaction  (18),  promises  God's 
blessing  upon  them  in  turn  (19),  and  closes 
with  a  doxology  (20). 

10.  The  apostle  now  passes  to  a  new  topic, 
as  is  indicated  by  the  word  translated  but  (Se). 
This  new  topic  is  his  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  aid  received  from  the  Philippians, 
which  he  expresses  in  most  tender  and  grace- 
ful language.  I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord — 
"not  with  a  worldly  joy."  (Chrysostom.) 
Paul  rejoices  'in  the  Lord'  over  every  bless- 
ing, whether  spiritual  or  temporal.  In  every- 
thing he  beholds  the  ruling  hand  of  Divine 
Providence.  Compare  Acts  28  :  15.  Greatly 
— not  on  account  of  the  gift,  but  of  the  Spirit 
it  revealed.  That  now  at  the  last — or,  better, 
as  in  Revised  Version,  now  at  length.  The 
words  indicate  a  long  interval  since  their  last 
contribution  to  his  support.  Your  care  of 
me  hath  flourished  a§!:ain.  The  Revised 
Version  translates:  "Ye  have  revived  your 
thought  for  me.'"    The  Greek  verb  is  best  taken 


transitively,  which  is  the  current  usage  of  the 
Septuagint.  Compare  Buttmann,  p.  263.  In 
the  depth  of  his  feeling  the  apostle  breaks  out 
into  poetry.  The  image  before  his  mind  is  a 
tree  or  plant  which  has  been  barren,  as  in 
winter  time,  and  then  puts  forth  fresh  leaves 
or  flowers.  The  Philippians  had  been  barren 
of  all  care  of  him  for  a  long  time,  but  now 
they  were  blossoming  again  with  thoughts  for 
his  comfort.  In  all  this  there  is  no  rebuke  or 
reproach,  as  Chrysostom  and  others  have  sup- 
posed, every  suggestion  of  which  is  removed 
by  the  very  next  words.  Had  not  these  words 
been  added,  there  would  undoubtedly  have 
been  a  tone  of  reproach  in  the  statement,  but 
the  whole  sentence  must  be  kept  in  mind. 
The  apostle  hastens  so  quickly  to  remove 
every  semblance  of  rebuke  from  his  words, 
that  we  are  not  authorized  to  find  an^^thing  ot 
the  kind  by  leaving  out  the  modifying  words. 
His  words  are  very  expressive.  Wherein 
ye  were  also  careful,  but  ye  lacked  op- 
portunity.! jjy  declares  that  this  barrenness 
was  due  to  no  lack  of  love,  but  of  opportuni- 
ties. Thus  the  first  statement,  which  seemed, 
when  standing  alone,  slightly  reproachful,  is 
turned  into  a  delicate  compliment,  which  pos- 
sesses all  the  more  force  by  the  way  in  which 
it  has  been  introduced.  The  visit  of  Epaph- 
roditus  to  Rome  furnished  the  Philippians 
with  their  long  wished  for  opportunity. 

11.  Not  that  I  speak  in  respect  of  want, 
etc.  The  apostle's  natural  independence  as- 
serts itself  characteristically  in  the  denial  that 
anj'  personal  satisfaction  with  the  material 
gift  prompts  this  display  of  gratitude.  Mot 
for  a  moment  would  he  be  thought  to  be  so 
demonstrative  over  his  own  renewed  com- 
forts. He  was  no  stranger  to  want,  and 
had  learned  long  ago  to  think  but  little  about 
his  bodily  state.  Proudly  he  says  of  himself, 
for  I  have  learned  to  be  content.  The 
personal  pronoun  is  used  with  special  empha- 
sis :  '  I.'  however  it  may  be  with  others.  Have 
learned  "in  Christ's  school,  for  nature  teacheth 


\  The  verb  ^xaipeurOe,  ■  ye  lacked  opportunity,'  is  a  late  and  rare  word,  found  only  here  in  the  New  Testament. 


Ch.  IV.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


59 


12  I  know  both  how  to  be  abasedj  and  I  know  how  to 
aboiimi  ;  every  where  and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed 
buth  to  be  fuli  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to 
Slitter  need. 

i'.i  1  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strength- 
eneth  me. 

14  Notwithstanding,  ye  have  well  done,  that  ye  did 
communicate  with  my  atUiction. 


12  to  be  content.  I  know  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know 
also  how  to  abound:  in  every  thing  and  in  all 
things  have  I  learned  the  secret  both  to  be  tilled  and 

13  to  be  hungry,  both  to  aliound  and  to  be  in  want.  I 
can    do  all  things  in   him   that  strengtheneth   me. 

14  Howbeit  ye  aid  well,  that  ye  had  fellowship  with 


no  such  lesson."    (Tra|3p. )     In  whatsoever 

state — notonly  now,  butalways  ;  aboldstate- 
nieut,  yet  justified  by  all  we  know  of  the  apos- 
tle's life.  The  Greek  word  (ai-Tapicrjs)  is  not 
exactly  translated  by  'content,'  and  in  fact 
tliere  is  no  exact  English  word  for  it.  It  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  self-sufiiciency,  independ- 
ence of  all  external  resources.  Socrates  de- 
clared that  this  was  nature's  wealth.  Many 
have  been  as  independent  as  Paul,  but  few 
have  combined  witli  it  such  delicate  appre- 
ciation of  the  kindness  of  others.  This  ability 
to  be  independent,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to 
accept  proffered  kindness  with  overflowing 
gratitude,  is  one  of  many  proofs  that  Paul 
was  a  most  rarely  endowed  man. 

12.  He  now  amplifies  the  thought  just  ex- 
pressed. I  know  how  to  be  abased — that 
i.s,  to  submit  to  straitened  circumstances.  He 
speaks  of  this  first,  as  the  more  frequent  ex- 
perience in  his  own  life.  ■  The  repetition  of  'I 
know'  reveals  his  deep  feeling.  How  to 
abound — that  is,  how  to  conduct  myself  in 
the  midst  of  plenty,  a  higher  virtue  than  the 
other,  and  harder  to  acquire.  Very  few  have 
exhibited  both  virtues,  a  becoming  spirit  of 
resignation  in  narrow  circumstances,  and  a 
noble  and  generous  temper  in  abundance. 
Paul's  abundance  was  probably  meagre 
enough,  but  the  same  spirit  which  taught  him 
to  make  a  right  use  of  his  slender  means  would 
have  kept  him  true  amid  the  glories  of  Solo- 
mon's palace.  Everywhere  and  in  all 
things.  Ho  desires  to  emphasize  this  declara- 
tion of  complete  contentment  and  therefore 
adds  several  amplifying  clauses.  Tlie  Revised 
Version  tfanshites  this,  "In  every  thing  and  in 
all  things"  ;  that  is,  in  every  case  individually, 
and  in  allca.sescollectivelj'.  I  am  instructed, 
better  have  learned  the  secret.  (Revised  Ver- 
sion.) The  verb  (MeMwiMoO  means  literally 
"to  be  initiated,''  and  contains  an  allusion  to 
the  ancient  mysteries,  to  which  onlj'  the  initi- 
ated were  admitted.  By  the  use  of  this  word 
Paul  would  intimate,  as  Bengel  sa3's,  that  ho 
was   instructed    "by   a   secret  discipline  un- 


known to  the  world."  The  secret  of  content- 
ment has  become  his,  not  by  nature,  but  by 
grace. 

13.  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
which  strengtheneth  me.  He  thus  traces 
back  this  ability  to  be  independent  of  circum- 
stances to  its  true  source,  the  indwelling  Christ. 
It  is  the  grace  of  Christ  that  strengthens  him, 
and  enables  liim,  not  only  to  exhibit  this  spirit 
of  contentment,  but  to  'do  all  things'  that 
may  be  necessary  in  the  line  of  duty.  How 
brief  how  noble  this  utterance !  There  was 
nothing,  no  possible  experience,  for  which 
Paul  did  not  feel  himself  adequate,  in  the 
strength  which  Christ  imparts.  Compare  2 
Cor.  1-2:9;  Eph.  6  :  10;  1  Tim.  1 :  12  ;  2  Tim. 
2:1;  4:17. 

14.  As  his  natural  independence  has  com- 
pelled him  to  defend  himself  from  the  sus- 
picion of  caring  too  much  for  the  material 
gift,  so  his  inbred  courtesy  Leads  him  to  ob- 
viate any  imputation  of  slighting  their  oft'er- 
ing.  "  We  may  remark  how  prudently  and 
cautiously  he  conducts  himself  on  both  sides, 
lest  he  should  incline  too  much  to  either.  He 
had  descanted  magnificently  upon  his  eon- 
stancj',  for  he  wished  the  Philippians  to  beware 
of  thinking  that  he  had  given  way  under  the 
pressure  of  want.  He  now  takes  care,  lest 
from  his  undaunted  manner  of  speaking,  he 
should  appear  to  have  despised  their  kindness, 
which  would  have  been  a  proof  not  simjily  of 
ill  breeding  and  haughtiness,  but  even  of 
pride."     (Calvin.) 

NotAvithstanding — that  is,  in  spite  of  my 
perfect  contentment  and  ability  to  do  without 
such  aid — ye  have  well  done  in  bestowing 
j-our  gifts,  because  in  so  doing,  ye  did  com- 
municate, better,  had  fellowship,  Avith  my 
atHiction — that  is.  helped  liiin  bear  his  afflic- 
tion by  this  practical  manifestation  of  .sym- 
pathy. It  is  a  characteristically  delicate  way 
of  describing  their  act  of  kindness.  He  would 
have  them  understand  that  by  taking  his 
needs  upon  their  hearts  they  have  practically 
fellowshiped,   or  shared,  his  affliction,  and  so 


eo 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


15  Now  ye  Philippians  know  also,  that  in  the  begin- 
niug  of  the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia, 
no  church  coiunuiuicated  with  me  as  coucerning  giving 
and  receiving,  but  ye  only. 

Hi  For  even  in  Thessalunica  ye  sent  once  and  again 
unto  luv  necessity. 

17  Not  because  I  desire  a  gift:  but  I  desire  fruit  that 
mav  abound  to  your  account. 

IS  But  1  have  all,  and  abound:    I  am  full,  having 


15  my  affliction.  And  ye  yourselves  also  know,  ye 
Philippiaus,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel, 
when  1  departed  from  Macedonia,  no  churcn  had 
fellowship  with  me  iu  the  matter  of  giving  and  re- 

16  ceiving,  but  ye  only;    lor  even  iu  TUcssulonica  ye 

17  sent  once  and  again  unlo  my  need.  Not  that  1  seek 
for  the  gift;  but  i  seek  for  the  fruit  that  increaselli 

18  to  your  account.   But  1  have  all  things,  and  abounu: 


have  lessened  the  burden  of  it  for  the  apostle 
himself. 

15.  The  Philippians  have  not  only  niin- 
tered  to  him  on  this  occasion,  but  also 
on  previous  occasions.  The  direct  address, 
ye  Philippians,  is  introduced  with  atFec- 
tionate  interest.  In  the  beginning  of  the 
gospel — that  is,  at  the  time  of  their  first 
acquaintance  with  it,  tliey  showed  this  same 
spirit  of  benevolence,  in  remarkable  and  beau- 
tiful contrast  with  the  rest  of  the  churches  he 
had  founded.  "  They  might  have  said,  We 
will  do  it,  if  others  have  done  it:  now  their 
praise  is  the  greater;  that  of  the  others,  the 
less."  (Bengel.)  Communicated  with  me 
• — better,  '^  /uid  fellowship  with  me."  (Revised 
Version.)  They  had  entered  into  a  kind  of 
spiritual  partnership  with  him.  As  concern- 
ing— or,  in  the  matter  o/— giving  and  receiv- 
ing. The  words  translated  'giving  and  re- 
ct-iving'  are  technical  terms  derived  from  the 
language  of  bookkeeping,  but  we  are  not  for  a 
moment  to  suppose  that  any  actual  account 
was  kept  by  Paul  or  by  the  Philippians.  It  is 
simi)ly  the  apostle's  imaginative  way  of  ex- 
pru^sing  his  sense  of  obligation.  Even  as  an 
infant  church  they  had  begun  to  contribute  to 
his  wants  in  such  a  way  as  to  suggest  to  his 
vivid  imagination  a  sort  of  ledger  account 
between  them  and  himself,  in  which  was  con- 
tjtined  on  the  one  side  the  spiritual  blessings 
they  had  received,  and  on  the  other  the 
material  gifts  he  had  received.  No  other 
church  had  ever  suggested  any  such  necessitj- 
for  keeping  au  account  of  debit  and  credit,  for 
with  them  it  had  been  all  receipts  and  no  gifts. 
This  was  the  only  church  in  which  mutual 
services  had  been  rendered.  It  was  doubtless 
the  willing  spirit  of  the  Philippians  which  led 
Paul  to  make  an  exception  in  their  case  to  the 
rule  he  seems  to  have  adopted  to  accept  no 
support  from  the  churches  among  which  he 
hibored.  See  1  Cor.  9 :  18 ;  1  Thess.  2:9;  2Thess. 
3:  8.  He  did  not  forget  under  other  circum- 
fitances  to  refer  to  this  liberality  of  the  Pbilip- 
ian  Church,    See  2  Cor.  8:2;  9:9.     Paley  in 


his  "  Horae   Paulinas,"   chapter   vii,   No.   iii, 
well  brings  out  the  undesigned  coincidences  ' 
between  the  history  and  Paul's  epistles  in  this 
matter  of  the  contribution. 

16.  For  even  in  Thessalonica,  etc.  He 
now  emphasizes  the  statement  that  tlie  Philip- 
pians had  shown  this  spirit  from  the  beginning, 
by  recalling  an  earlier  instance  of  their  gen- 
erosity. Not  only  had  they  contributed  to  his 
aid  when  he  departed  from  Macedonia,  but 
even  before  that,  while  he  was  still  in  the 
province,  at  the  neighboring  city  of  Thessa- 
lonica,  on  two  different  occasions.  Well  might 
Paul  boast  of  this  church  to  the  Corinthians 
(see  preceding  verse),  since  they  formed  such 
a  striking  contrast  with  all  others.  And  yet 
how  sad  a  picture  of  selfishness  and  ingrati- 
tude we  have  here  painted  by  the  apostle  in 
the  praise  he  bestows  upon  this  one  church. 
Their  example  appears  so  bright  only  by  its 
contrast  with  the  prevailing  selfisliness.  The 
hardest  and  most  penurious  of  modern 
churches,  doling  out  mere  pittances  to  their 
pastors,  shine  luminously  by  the  side  of  the 
very  best  churches  of  apostolic  days. 

17.  Not  because  I  desire  a  gift.  Again, 
as  in  ver.  11,  the  apostle's  sensitive  heart  seeks 
to  clear  itself  of  all  suspicion  of  anything  like 
mercenary  motives  in  this  overflowing  praise. 
It  is  not  the  'gift'  he  cares  for,  but  something 
higher,  even  the  spiritual  blessings  wliich  such 
giving  brings  to  the  givers.  These  blessings 
are  conceived  of  as  fruit,  which  the3'  will 
gather  in  the  great  harvest  day.  Compare 
Matt.  25  :  34,  seq.,  where  the  Saviour  repre- 
sents himself  as  specially  commending  and 
rewarding  such  acts  at  that  last  day.  The 
repetition  of  the  words  I  desire  is  emphatic. 
I  do  not  desire  the  '  gift,'  but  I  do  desire  the 
'fruit.'  Thatmayabound  to  youraccount. 
"God  keeps  an  exact  account  of  every  penny 
laid  out  upon  him  and  his,  that  he  may  requite 
it,  and  his  retributions  are  more  than  bounti- 
ful."  (Trapp,) 

18.  But  I  have  all,  and  abound.  So  gen- 
erously have  the  Philippians  contributed  that 


Ch.  IV.] 


PHILIPPIANS. 


61 


received  of  Epaphroditus  tlie  things  which  were  sent 
from  you,  an  odour  of  a  swetl  swell,  a  sacrifice  accept- 
able, well  pleasing  to  God. 

19  But  uiy  tiod  shall  supply  all  your  need  according 
to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus. 

20  Now  unto  God  and  our  Father  be  glory  for  ever 
and  ever.     Amen. 

21  Salute  every  saint  in  Christ  Jesus.     The  brethren 
which  are  with  me  greet  you. 

22  All  the  saints  salute  you,  chiefly  they  that  are  of 
Cesar's  household. 


I  am  filled,  having  received  from  Epaphroditus  the 
things  that  came  from  you,  an  odour  of  a  sweet 
smell,  a  sacrifice  aece|)tal>le,  well-pleasing  to   God, 

19  And  my  God  shall  sujjply  every  need  of  yours  ac- 

20  cording  to  his  riches  in  glory  iu'Christ  Jesus.  Now 
unto  lour  tiod  and  Father  be  the  glory  2  for  ever 
and  ever.     Amen. 

21  Salute  every  saint  in  Christ  Jesus.      The  brethren 

22  who  are  with  me  salute  you.  All  the  saints  salute, 
you,  especially  they  that  are  of  Cajsar's  household. 


1  Or,  God  and  our  Father 2  Or.  nnto  the  agea  of  the  aget. 


he  has  'till'  that  he  needs,  and  even  more, 
for  he 'abounds.'  "The  sum  they  had  sent 
him  was  undoubtedly  not  large;  yet,  moder- 
ate as  it  was,  it  abounded,  he  says,  to  the  full 
satisfying  of  his  wants  and  of  his  wishes." 
(Calvin.)  "  Behold  the  contented  and  grate- 
ful mind!  "  (Bengel.)  I  am  full  repeats  the 
previous  statement  in  another  form.  Alluding 
again  to  the  gift  received  through  Epaphrodi- 
tus, the  apostle  describes  it  as  a  sweet  and 
acceptable  offerii'.g  to  God  himself,  so  putting 
the  final  t<Hich  to  the  picture  of  their  kind- 
ness. Thus  the  Philippians  have  the  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing  that  their  ministration  to  the 
apostle's  necessities  has  proved  a  most  per- 
fect and  acceptable  sacrifice  to  God  on  high. 
See  Heb.  13  :  16. 

19.  And  this  God,  whose  servant  they  have 
ministered  to,  will  supply  all  their  needs, 
spiritual  and  temporal.  They  have  supplied 
the  apostle's  bodily  necessities,  and  he  can 
only  thank  them,  but  God  will  requite  them 
in  a  very  different  way.  He  shall  supply 
all  your  needs — not  as  they  have  supplied 
the  apostle's, — out  of  their  poverty, — but 
according  to  his  riches  in  glory — that  is, 
his  glorious  inexhaustible  resources.  "It  is 
easy  to  him."  (Chrysostom.)  Meyer  takes 
the  words  '  in  glory  '  as  belonging  to  the  verb, 
"  He  will  supply  in  glory  "  ;  that  is,  in  heaven. 
But  the  combination  of  the  words  'riches  in 
glory'  is  grammatical,  and  yields  the  better 
sense;  namely,  that  God  will  reward  the 
Philippians  for  their  generosity,  both  in  this 
world  and  tlie  world  to  come,  out  of  his  infin- 
itely glorious  riches.  By  (Revised  Version, 
in)  Christ  Jesus — in  union  with  whom  alone 
is  any  one  an  object  of  the  divine  favor  and 
blessing. 

20.  The  thought  of  God  leads  the  apostle 
to  break  forth  into  a  doxology,  with  which 
this  section  fittingly  concludes.  Now  unto 
God  and  our  Father  (literally,  as  in  Re- 
vised Version,   "our  God   and   Father,"  for 


the  Greek  word  'our'  belongs  to  both  nouns.) 
'God'  expresses  the  natural  relation  of  the 
Deity  to  us,  'Father'  his  relation  to  us  in 
Christ.  (Rom.  8:15;  Gal.  4:5.)  Be  glory  for  evct 
and  ever  (literally,  to  ages  of  ages)— an  imi- 
tation of  the  Hebrew. 

21-29.  Salutations  and  Benedictions. 
— He  sends  a  salutation  to  every  saint,  together 
with  the  greeting  of  the  brethren  at  Rome 
(21),  especially  of  the  household  of  Cicsar  (2'J), 
and  closes  with  a  benediction.  (23.) 

21.  Salute.  This  is  probably  addressed  to 
the  immediate  recipients  of  the  letter,  the 
bishops  and  deacons,  who  are  to  'salute'  the 
brethren  at  Philippi  in  the  apostle's  name. 
Every  saint.  "The  singular  individualizes 
— every  saint  individually."  (Bengel.)  'Every 
saint,'  worthy  or  unworthy,  was  to  receive 
the  same  salutation.  The  spirit  of  Cliristian 
brotherhood  was  to  prevail.  In  Christ  Jesus 
— that  is,  with  a  Christian  salutation.  The 
brethren  that  are  with  me  greet  you. 
These  are  probably  the  more  intimate  com- 
panions of  the  apostle,  while  "all  the 
saints,"  in  the  next  verse,  embraces  the  wider 
circle  of  the  entire  church  at  Rome.  Who 
these  brethren  were,  we  do  not  know.  There 
is  no  reason  for  the  change  of  the  verb  from 
'salute'  in  the  first  sentence  to  'greet'  in  the 
second,  since  it  is  the  same  verb  and  is  cor- 
rectly translated  'salute.' 

22.  He  adds  '"another  cluster"  of  saluta- 
tions from  the  members  of  the  church  at 
Rome,  and  especially  from  the  inmates  of  the 
imperial  household.  These  last  were  proba- 
bly the  servants,  as  it  was  among  the  lower 
classes  that  the  gospel  first  won  a  hearing 
(i  Cor.  1:26);  and  besides,  had  any  of  the  em- 
peror's relatives  become  Christians,  history 
would  undoubtedly  have  preserved  some  trace 
of  the  fact.  Why  the  greeting  from  them  was 
so  emphasized,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  it  maj' be 
that  these  Christians  had  ministered  to  Paul's 
necessities,   and  were  very  much   moved  by 


62 


PHILIPPIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


23  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.  I  23      The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
Amen.  I        spirit. 


the  kindness  of  the  distant  Philippians  to 
the  lonely  prisoner,  and  so  sent  their  greet- 
ing with  such  affectionate  earnestness  as 
to  reflect  itself  in  his  language.  At  an3- 
rate,  a  greeting  from  such  a  source  was 
well  worthy  of  special  attention,  for,  as  Calvin 
well  says,  "it  is  worthy  of  r'emark,  as  being  no 
common  instance  of  divine  mercy,  that  the 
gospel  had  penetrated  that  abyss  of  all  wick- 
edness and  debauchery — the  imperial  palace." 
Out  of  this  reference  grew  the  well-known 
legend  of  a  correspondence  between  Paul  and 
Seneca,  Nero's  preceptor. 
23.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


be  with  you  all.  The  benediction  is  similar 
to  that  in  Kom.  16 :  24 ;  1  Cor.  16  :  23 ;  1  Thess. 
5  :  28 ;  2  Thess.  3  :  18 ;  but  especially  to  that 
in  Gal.  6  :  18.  The  true  reading  is  that  of  the 
Revised  Version,  with  your  spirit,  which  ap- 
pears in  Gal.  6  :  18;  2  Tim.  4  :  22  and  Philem. 
25  with  very  slight  variations.  The  reading  of 
the  Common  Version  is  more  like  Paul's  usual 
benedictions,  and  which  on  that  account  prob- 
ably crept  in  here  through  the  error  of  some 
copyist.  In  every  epistle  this  apostolic  bene- 
diction was  always  written  by  Paul's  own 
hand,  and  was  "the  token  in  every  epistle"  of 
its  genuineness.   See  Col.  4 :  18 ;  2  Thess.  3  :  17. 


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